Irish Republican News · December 8, 2004

European parliament hears of British collusion

A public hearing in Brussels has looked into British government killings in the North of Ireland.

Over 50 people murdered as a result of British state collusion with unionist death squads visited the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday.

Speakers at the event, entitled “Peace must be built on truth”, included relations of people murdered as a result of British state collusion with unionist death squads, and from the An Fhirinne campaign which is trying to bring to light the truth on collusion.

Over 50 people went to the European parliament to have their personal testimonies heard on the consistent policy of collusion between British Intelligence agents, the RUC and unionist death squads over the past 30 years.

They told the hearing that the British government policy of employing unionist death squads was sanctioned at the highest political levels, and that the policy remains in place today.

They were invited to a hearing organised by the EUL/NGL group in the European Parliament to discuss the issue. Approximately 70 people attended the event.

Spokesperson for the An Fhírinne campaign group, Jim Clinton has said that he and the families were pleased with the response.

Speaking from the European Parliament, Mr Clinton said many of the families found it difficult to speak about the death of their loved ones, but felt that it was necessary that their stories be told to as wide a group of people as possible.

“The families demand closure and peace of mind,” said Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brun.

“Sinn Féin has pledged its support to the families in their search for truth and justice. We are mindful that many other families have suffered and lost loved ones, as a result of the conflict in the six counties.

“There are people who do not want to contemplate or admit that the British Government were complicit in state sanctioned murder. It is important as we continue to move through a period of conflict resolution that the voices of all of those who suffered in any way are heard. The families of those murdered at the hands of the British state deserve to have their voices heard also.”

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