Fury over IRA leader joining policing body
News Letter
27 March 2008
Unionists have reacted with fury to the news that a former IRA man is to join Fermanagh District Policing Partnership.
UUP MLA Tom Elliott says questions need to be answered about former IRA leader Sean Lynch’s appointment to the Fermanagh DPP, given his background.
The Sinn Fein member was jailed for 12 years for attempting to bomb an Army patrol and survived an SAS ambush.
Mr Elliott said: “Let’s remember that just a decade ago that this member was a leader in the IRA in the Maze prison.
“What I want to know is, is he totally committed to Northern Ireland, is he totally committed to the betterment of the Province and the betterment of policing in Northern Ireland?
“And has he left the IRA or is he still a member? I think these are questions that need to be answered.”
DUP MLA Arlene Foster responded to the appointment of Sean Lynch to the Fermanagh District Policing Partnership by saying “it is a difficult decision for me personally but criticism from the UUP on this matter stinks of hypocrisy.”
Mrs Foster said:”The appointment of Sean Lynch to the DPP does not erase his history.
“Some people may be in the business of revisionism but that is not the case with the DUP.
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“Sean Lynch was a terrorist and deserved his prison sentence for his evil deeds.
“Decisions such as this are difficult to swallow as we are all too aware of the past of some of the individuals involved but we must recognise the change in republicans’ attitude to the police.
“Sinn Fein’s decision to abandon their long held belief of opposition to the police is welcome and I recognise that Sinn Fein participation on DPPs is a by-product of that decision.
Sinn Fein P
olicing Board member Alex Maskey said that republicans are as entitled as anyone else to be appointed as independent members of the local District Policing Partnerships.
He said: “All candidates were approved by their local councils. There was a rigorous appointments process based on merit and representativeness carried out by the councils and the Policing Board. All candidates were appointed by the Policing Board after meeting the criteria laid down. Appointments were made that reflected the composition of the local council areas in a number of ways including community background, achieving a balance of men and women and age.
“Republicans are as entitled as anyone else to be appointed as independent members of the local District Policing Partnerships. The DPP’s will be more representative now than at any other time in the past. This is a development that people should welcome.”
