Republican News · Thursday 17 July 2003

Spellar agrees to meet McBride family

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has welcomed the news that John Spellar is to meet with the family of Peter McBride, the teenager shot dead by two British soldiers.

The McBride family had been keen to meet with Mr Spellar given his role in the Army Board which retained the killers of Peter McBride in the British Army after their murder convictions. Initially Mr Spellar had refused to meet with the family.

"This was an issue which was of concern to nationalists in general and Sinn Féin in particular given that his responsibilities covered Human Rights," said Adams. "We raised this with Mr Spellar and his office on a number of occasions. I welcome the fact that he has now agreed to meet with the McBride family at the earliest opportunity.

"Sinn Féin will be meeting with John Spellar in the near future. At that meeting we will raise a range of issues including the issue of the McBride killers and concerns about recent resignations from the Human Rights Commission."