Republican News · Thursday 4 September 2003

Protesting collusion as Para Prince arrives

Dozens of protesters gathered at the gates of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast in advance of the visit to the hospital of a member of the British royal family, Prince Charles, on Tuesday 2 September.

The protest, organised by the pressure group An Fhírinne (The Truth), highlighted the issue of collusion between the British crown forces and unionist death squads.

In a statement, An Fhírinne said: "We are calling on the British government to admit to its involvement from its most senior political level, from Margaret Thatcher and Patrick Mayhew down through its agents Ronnie Flanagan and Gordon Kerr down to its hired killers and paid informers, Brian Nelson, William Stobie, Ken Barrett and Tommy Lyttle, who were allowed to murder with impunity."

Among the protesters was Teresa Slane, whose husband Gerard was shot dead by the UDA, acting on information supplied by Brian Nelson.