Shoot to kill - A search for justice
By Pádraig MacDabhaid
The 1980 RUC killing of Volunteer Teddy O'Neill took place
before the onset of what is now termed the RUC's shoot-to-kill
policy. However, since the family began to push for truth and
justice, it has been revealed that the killing was a British
state-sponsored shoot to kill operation for which nobody has ever been
called to answer.
Twenty-three-year-old Teddy O'Neill was on active service on
Tuesday 1 July 1980. A statement issued by the IRA's Belfast Brigade
after O'Neill's murder read: ``The events leading up to his death are
as follows. For some months gangs of organised criminal elements have
been terrorising the working people of Belfast. After many appeals
from local people to us, we decided to punish a key figure within this
group''.
O'Neill was one of two Volunteers who carried out the punishment
shooting at around 9pm near the Ballymurphy Tenants Association on the
Whiterock Road. As the Volunteers made their getaway they ran from
behind a building towards the Whiterock Road. Both men were hooded and
had one pistol between them, which was concealed. As they ran towards
the road they ran into an RUC patrol which was waiting on the road
with guns aimed. The RUC opened fire without warning. The two
Volunteers attempted to escape.
One eye-witness, Danny McCormick, said: ``I saw several RUC men
firing from behind a Land Rover in the direction of the two men who
were running away from them. One of the men fell wounded, although he
was still alive. I saw him moving.
``Then one of the RUC men ran over to where the man was lying. He
stood over and fired two shots from his rifle into the man on the
ground.''
The man on the ground was Volunteer Teddy O'Neill.
The fact that the RUC opened fire without warning is an issue in
itself. However, from an examination of the issues surrounding
O'Neill's death, it would appear that the RUC had planned his killing
and awaited the right time to do so.
O'Neill had been on the run for five years before he was shot dead.
One year before his death he was in a house when it was raided. As he
escaped, the RUC fired after him, obviously trying to kill him.
Three weeks before his killing, he was arrested and taken to
Castlereagh interrogation centre and questioned about his role in the
guard of honour for the funeral of his friend Volunteer Kevin ``Dee''
Delaney. He was released from Castlereagh and as he was leaving one of
the RUC officers said: ``We're letting you out to kill you.''
Speaking to An Phoblacht, Teddy O'Neill's sister, Dolores Craig,
said: ``His release raises serious questions. Why would the RUC have
released him so quickly after chasing him for five years. A year
before they were prepared to shoot him on sight. If they wanted him
bad enough to shoot him then why did they release him from
Castlereagh?''
other issue raised by the killing was what happened in the
missing hours after his death. Taxi-driver Jim Murphy, who was a
witness to the killing, said: ``Two RUC men carrying rifles ran
towards the man lying in the middle of the street. They each grabbed
one of his arms and ran trailing him behind them a distance of about
30 yards. They then lifted the body and tossed it into the back of the
jeep as if it was a bit of meat.'' This occurred at 9pm but the family
was not notified of the murder until 1.30am.
Dolores Craig said: ``At the inquest, we were not told who fired
the fatal shots, nobody showed up to give evidence, and only
statements were read out. Danny McCormick and Jim Murphy were not
asked to give evidence. They were never questioned by the RUC, and the
RUC never investigated Teddy's murder.''
Speaking of her hopes for the future, she said: ``At the time of
the inquest, we knew something unjust had been done but like many
people at the time, we didn't know what to do or what could be done.
We have now begun to look into the circumstances surrounding his
murder more closely and are hoping that some of the relatives groups
will be able to highlight our case for truth and justice. If anything
can be done, we will do it.''
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