British tabloid attacks McBride campaign
On 22 October 2000, as plans were being made for the 1 December International Day of Action around the case of murdered Belfast teenager Peter McBride, the British tabloid newspaper The News of the World, ran an article claiming that the McBride family had begun a campaign asking ``terrorist groups... to join a huge protest aimed at forcing the Army to sack two Scots Guardsmen... jailed for murdering Belfast bomb suspect Peter McBride in 1992.'' The article continued: ``Details are being circulated among terrorist organisations and supporters in Ireland, America and all over Europe. There are fears the protest will inevitably lead to confrontation with troops and RUC and mass disruption. Plans include organising pickets, vigils and delegations to British embassies and consulates across the world. They also want specially selected teams to picket and swoop on Army recruitment offices in Britain, causing chaos by demanding the answer to `awkward' questions. And they hope to organise a flying picket in the centre of London.'' The article described the murder of Peter McBride as ``an incident near Belfast's New Lodge Road in September 1992'' and finished with the statement that ``Mrs McBride, 48, has always insisted she is not a member of any political party or organisation''.
As anyone with any knowledge of both this case and the campaign to have the two convicted Scots Guards thrown out of the army will know, this article was full of inaccuracies, and worse. The Day of Action was organised by the Pat Finucane Centre, with the support of the McBride family. Secondly, it was made clear throughout the organisation for the 1 December protests that all events should be dignified and peaceful, as indeed they were, and respect the memory of Peter McBride. The article also refers to Peter as a ``Belfast bomb suspect'', a claim comprehensively dismissed at the original trial and subsequent appeals.
The final statement, that Mrs McBride ``has always insisted she is not a member of any political party or organisation'' could be taken as an implication that Mrs McBride has at some time been accused of being a member of a political party or organisation. Jean McBride has never `insisted' this simply because she has never been asked - it has never been an issue in this case. In response, Jean McBride took legal action against the News of the World, who, on 24 December, were forced to print the following retraction:
``JEAN McBRIDE
On October 22 we published an article about a campaign to force the Army to sack two Scots Guardsmen, James Fisher and Mark Wright, in which we made reference to Jean McBride. We are happy to clarify that Mrs McBride is in no way connected with any paramilitary organisation or cause. Mrs McBride is a law-abiding citizen whose only quest is for justice for her son, Peter. We regret any upset or annoyance cased to Mrs McBride as a result of our article.''
However, the apology is itself disingenuous, as it makes no mention of the fact that the two Scots Guards were convicted of murder, or of the fact that Jean McBride was the mother of their teenage victim.
Wright and Fisher are currently serving with the British Army in Munster, Germany. In Germany itself there is an ongoing debate over the refusal of the Federal Army (Bundeswehr) to employ soldiers who have committed serious crimes or those who are members of neo-nazi organisations.
In the light of this debate, supporters of the McBride family in Germany have written to the German Defence Minister, Rudolph Scharping of the ruling SPD government, giving him full details of the case and questioning how it can be that those convicted of serious crimes cannot serve in the German army, whilst the government allows convicted murderers from other armies can be allowed to serve in the country.
The minister has replied saying that he is taking steps to get further details on the case and that he has written to the British government requesting an explanation. Another German party, the PDS, has stated that it will be asking for information on the whereabouts of Fisher and Wright during question time in the Federal Parliament in Berlin. It has also been confirmed that Irish Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna has handed details of the case to the German Foreign Minister from the ruling coalition Green Party.
The Judicial Review of the Army Board decision to retain the two Scots Guards will be held at Belfast High Court on 5 February 2001 at 9.30am.
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