Irish Republican News · March 17, 2018

Gabriel Mackle released

Political prisoner Gabriel Mackle has been released following a period of internment lasting over four months, it has been confirmed. It is believed his release was made subject to legal conditions which have prevented him making a statement on the matter.

In a post on its website, which was briefly removed last night, Republican Sinn Fein said: “We are pleased to announce that our friend and comrade Gabriel Mackle is today back home with his family.”

They said the delay in confirming his release was due to the possibility that a statement could potentially see him re-interned. “The leadership of Republican Sinn Fein took the decision to have the statement removed because we did not want the statement to have an adverse effect on Gabriel’s release. Anyone who knows why his license was revoked in the first place will understand.”

Mr Mackle was released ‘on licence’ in November of last year but was ordered to be returned to prison following his delivery of an oration at Republican Sinn Fein’s annual Edentubber commemoration.

His release on Friday came as a new campaign against internment brought protests and placards to cities across the North.

In another positive development, republican prisoners who were subjected to internment by remand -- denied bail for an unreasonable period while awaiting trial -- have recently been bailed, including Ciaran ‘Dingus’ Magee and Damian ‘Dee’ Duffy.

Tony Taylor, a former chairperson of Republican Network for Unity who has spent two years behind bars on the orders of the British government, is now the focus of the anti-internment campaign.

“Internment continues with Tony Taylor still suffering this injustice,” Republican Sinn Fein said.

“We would urge all right thinking people to continue with every effort to bring pressure on the establishment to have Tony released.

“We at Republican Sinn Fein will do everything we can in aid of Tony and his family, and we are certain that Gabriel and his family appreciated the solidarity shown by the entire Republican/nationalist community.”

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