Loughgall families `courageous'
by Laura Friel
``Courageous,'' was how Roisín Kelly of the Loughgall Truth and Justice
Campaign, described the relatives of those killed by the British SAS
during an IRA operation in Loughgall in May 1987.
Roisín's brother Patrick Kelly was one of eight IRA Volunteers killed
at Loughgall together with a ninth victim, Anthony Hughes, who was
caught up in the SAS ambush. Roisín Kelly accompanied a delegation of
the dead men's relatives to Stormont for a meeting with NIO minister
Adam Ingram last Monday. ``The courage of the families in meeting a
representative of the state who sanctioned the deaths of their loved
ones should be acknowledged,'' said Roisín. ``It was a distressing
encounter for all of us.''
The delegation included mothers, Amelia Arthurs and Letitia Donnelly,
whose young sons, Declan aged 21 and 19-year-old Seamus, were both
killed at Loughgall. Also present were Francie O'Callaghan, brother
of Gerard, sisters of Patrick Kelly, Roisin and Mairead, Roisín
Gormley and Bridget Hughes, a sister and widow of Anthony Hughes. A
small crowd of about 20 DUP supporters heckled the relatives outside
Castle Buildings.
Describing the meeting with the British minister as ``disappointing'',
Roisín said there is still a long way to go before equality of
recognition is afforded to all the victims of the last 30 years. ``The
delegation felt that Adam Ingram did not fully understand aspects of
what we were saying,'' said Roisin. ``The minister obviously finds it
difficult to offer the same empathy towards relatives of the victims
of state violence as he affords to those whose political allegiance
is pro British.''
The relatives are to request another meeting with Ingram to impress
further the importance families place on establishing the full facts
about the circumstances in which their relatives were killed. ``The
truth is an important part of the grieving process,'' said Roisin, ``it
is also a fundamental prerequisite in the quest for reconciliation.''
The British minister refused to be questioned about the circumstances
of the SAS killings on the grounds that he was meeting the delegation
in relation to his responsibilities on the issue of victims and not
in his capacity as Security Minister.
A report into the Loughgall killings following a year long inquiry by
a team of American experts with international experience has been
given to the British government. The report concludes that the SAS
operation was not intended to prevent an attack on Loughgall RUC
barracks but instead was intended ``to kill all IRA personnel involved
in the incident.''
The independent inquiry shows that the SAS knew of the planned attack
at Loughgall at least one day before it took place. Despite being
deployed in the area one hour before the attack, the SAS made no
attempt to prevent it. The area was not cordoned off and there was no
efforts made to minimise the risk of civilian casualties.
The report of pathologist Dr Hiroshi Nakawaza said the wounds on the
bodies of the nine deceased are consistent with weapons being
discharged close-up and this is consistent with an ``execution-type
killing''.
The meeting between the families of Loughgall and the NIO minister
came amidst a storm of Unionist protest. Ingram's decision to meet
the families prompted Ulster Unionist Ken Maginnis to dismiss the NIO
Minister as ``an absolute wimp and an idiot.'' Orange Order minister
Reverend William Bingham described the meeting as ``grossly
offensive''. It was ``absolutely shameful'' said UUP Assembly member
Danny Kennedy.
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