Dublin man killed in Garda shoot-to-kill operation
BY SEAN BRADY
Sinn Féin has backed the call for an independent public inquiry
into the death of Dublin man Ronan McLaughlin who was shot dead
by gardaí at Ashford, County Wicklow on Friday, 1 May.
The Garda version of events at Ashford has altered several times
since the incident. Gardai initially claimed that one of a group
of six men, whom they had under surveillance and who they allege
were attempting to rob a Securicor cash van, opened fire on them
first. However they later denied this and admitted that it was
the gardaí who began the shooting.
At least two gardaí opened fire in what was clearly a well
planned ambush by the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) on the main
Dublin to Wexford Road. The other men did not return fire.
Ronan McLaughlin's family have demanded a public inquiry into the
circumstances of the shooting. In a statement the family asked
why, if the six men were under surveillance, no attempt was made
to arrest them on their way to the scene or at the scene before
the shooting.
In a statement on the fatal events at Ashford Sinn Fein President
Gerry Adams expressed his sympathy to the family of Ronan
McLaughlin and supported their call for a full and independent
inquiry into the killing. He said: ``I am deeply saddened at the
death of Ronan McLaughlin who was killed last Friday. My
heartfelt sympathy is with his family. I support their call for
an investigation of his killing.
``I also call upon those responsible for all the circumstances
leading up to the killing of Ronan McLaughlin to reflect on their
actions. At this critical moment in Irish history they should act
in the greater interests of all the people of Ireland and support
the quest for justice and freedom.''
In a statement released in Dublin the IRA refuted claims in the
media that Ronan McLaughlin was one of their volunteers.
The full text of the IRA statement reads, ``no volunteers in
Oglaigh na hEireann were involved in the incident in Ashford,
County Wicklow on Friday 1 May in which one man was shot and
killed.
``No one outside our organisation is authorised to use the name of
Oglaigh na hEireann in any attempt to confer legitimacy on their
actions. Signed P O'Neill Irish Republican Publicity Bureau,
Dublin.''
The death of Ronan McLaughlin is the latest in a series of
controversial shootings by the gardaí over the years several of
which have resulted in deaths. In one of the most recent
incidents John Morrison, a 26-year-old member of the INLA, was
shot and killed by gardaí in Dublin in June 1997. The gardaí had
not been fired upon during that incident and it was later
revealed that Morrison was in possession of an unloaded handgun.
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