MI5 disguised as police at Hannaway funeral

Members of the British Army’s intelligence gathering unit disguised themselves as police as they harassed and surveilled mourners returning from the wake of Hooded Man Kevin Hannaway last week, it has emerged.

It was admitted at the weekend that masked MI5 were deployed in west Belfast ahead of Mr Hannaway’s funeral. They are believed to have worn unmarked ‘police’ costumes with grey coloured combat trousers, as opposed to regular PSNI issue clothing.

Local residents and mourners were detained and searched by the masked MI5 units in the area, which was placed “under siege” for over 24 hours, according to locals.

A drone was deployed to hover over the wake house, while vehicles of those attending were subjected to “hard stops”, involving highly invasive searches.

Six members of Saoradh were stopped by one group of fake police officers after leaving Mr Hannaway’s wakehouse on the outskirts of west Belfast last Thursday. Two who were held against their will are set to take legal action over their wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.

Over a thousand MI5 staff are still based on Irish soil, focused on recruiting informers and disrupting republican activism.

A spokesperson for the Ulster Executive of Republican Sinn Féin said what took place was “plainly harassment” and contrasted it with the absence of Crown Forces at a recent Provisional IRA funeral.

“Seasoned Republicans have labelled this type of colonial policing as something you would have expected in the 1980s,” they said.

“The Occupied Six Counties will forever demonstrate favouritism to those who deliver their pro-British strategy and toe the British line, unlike for men like Kevin Hannaway who was described as a person who stood firm in his beliefs till his life end.”

Slamming the development, Saoradh’s National Chairperson Stephen Murney said that to attack a wake in the lead up to a funeral is “nothing short of a hate crime” and should be condemned by all right thinking people.

“Kevin Hannaway hasn’t even been buried and his family and comrades have had to endure a week of torment at the hands of the occupiers as they try to grieve.

“To all those who purport to speaking out against injustice, now is the time to make your voices heard.”

His funeral went ahead on Saturday under grey skies, with former prisoners and comrades, including Blanketmen, Hooded Men and internees, among those who assembled to pay their final respects.

Mr Hannaway’s gloves and beret were placed on the tricolour-draped coffin, which was flanked by a republican guard of honour of former Portlaoise PoWs, along a route lined by Saoradh and IRPWA activists.

Speaking at the graveside, Belfast Saoradh member,and IRPWA activist, Grainne MhicCraith, said Mr Hannaway was “to the fore in fighting to remove the British Imperialist presence in Ireland... by any means.”

She also spoke about how as a result of his dedication to the Republican cause, Kevin endured torture and imprisonment.

“Even in recent years he found himself held in captivity in Portlaoise on IRA related charges,” she said.

His close friend and comrade and Hooded Men justice campaigner, Jim McIlmurray, said he had faced his illness in the same manner he faced any adversity in life, “head on”.

“He would often say, I am the perfect example of how a body thrives on abuse.”

Former Republican Prisoner Eva Shannon described Mr Hannaway as “a man of unwavering principles, resilience and loyalty who devoted his life to the Irish Republican cause and as a soldier of the IRA he stood for freedom and justice.”

Former Republican Prisoner David Nooney then read a statement from Republican prisoners in Portlaoise, Hydebank and Maghaberry. They described Kevin as “a remarkable individual, comrade, and ferocious Irish Republican” and “a beacon of hope, resilience, and unwavering courage in the fight against British occupation.”

The national flag, along with his gloves and beret, where then presented to Mr Hannaway’s son Michael by Saoradh Vice-Chairperson Brian Kenna, who urged his life and dedication to the struggle “to be an inspiration to us all to continue along that path as his true and fitting epitaph.”

Urgent Appeal