Republicans will ‘never come clean’ about past
The DUP's Gregory Campbell.
The DUP’s Gregory Campbell believes republicans will never “come clean” about their past.
The East Derry MP, MLA, says getting republicans to “deal with their past truthfully is a futile task.”
He pointed to a recent decision by former members of the IRA to decline to appear before the Smithwick Tribunal in Dublin “to talk about and answer questions on their murderous activities.”
“This, added to Gerry Adams’ repeated denial of ever being in the IRA and Martin McGuinness’s refusal at the Saville Inquiry to answer questions about his involvement in the IRA, is a copper fastened indication of the republican movement’s attitude to the past,” the veteran DUP politician claimed this week.
He added: “The Provisional IRA began the onslaught in 1969 and since then have murdered more innocent people than all other organisations - police, army, and loyalist paramilitaries - put together.
“It was their movement that started the murder campaign and now they demand openness and expressions of sorrow and regret from others while declining to be equally open and sorrowful themselves.
‘Slammed shut’
“It would appear the window of opportunity for coming clean about their past has just been slammed shut,” he said.
Last week, it emerged that no former member of the IRA is willing to give evidence in person at the Smithwick Inquiry into the murders of two RUC officers.
RUC Chief Supt Harry Breen and Supt Bob Buchanan were killed in March 1989.
They were shot dead by the Provisional IRA in an ambush in south Armagh, shortly after they left a meeting in Dundalk Garda Station.
The Smithwick Inquiry is investigating claims of garda collusion in their deaths.
Judge Peter Smithwick has recently written to Dail Eireann outlining the inquiry’s latest dealings with former IRA members.
He revealed that ex-IRA members had provided a new written statement to the inquiry about the murders in which they said the RUC men were shot after a lengthy and detailed surveillance operation.
They also claimed that, at no time, was there any input from gardai or any other source.
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Weather for Derry
Wednesday 22 May 2013
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