Prisoner still ill-treated
By Peadar Whelan
The family and friends of Seamus McArdle, who is being
held in Belmarsh prison in London, have told An
Phoblacht that the South Armagh man is still suffering
serious harassment from prison warders.
d they have also revealed that a delegation from the
Irish embassy in London will visit McArdle on 16 March.
The visit was arranged as a result of lobbying by the
family and friends of McArdle.
McArdle, who is charged in connection with the IRA bomb
at Canary Wharf two years ago, is back on remand after
the original trial against him collapsed when the jury
couldn't reach a majority verdict on Friday 19
February.
Since then the Armagh man has been strip searched
regularly and is moved cell sometimes once a week.
During these cell moves McArdle is strip searched while
his belongings are searched and often strewn across the
cell.
This comes against the backdrop of 120 strip searches
as the young man was brought to and from the Old
Bailey. Legal papers pertaining to his case have also
been rifled.
The abuse eased slightly when McArdle threatened to go
to court naked.
According to a friend of the family McArdle compiled a
dossier listing the number of searches he received, but
this was confiscated by the jail authorities. However,
the official jail report of the number of searches
McArdle was given, which he requested, numbered less
than half of McArdle's list.
There are also questions being raised about McArdle's
health. He has lost 21 pounds in weight and has yet to
get proper medical attention for facial injuries he
received when he was beaten at the time of his arrest.
A local doctor, who visited McArdle and forwarded a
report to the Dublin government has expressed her
worries to the family, especially as the injury has not
fully healed.
``Seamus's family are worried about the long term effect
this ill-treatment will have on him'', a family friend
said. ``The lack of family contact is a source of worry
too. His mother and father are elderly and cannot
travel. Only two family members are cleared to visit
him, the rest are not. It's just like the British want
their pound of flesh and this is their way of getting
it''.
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