Posted on 07/07/2006 3:56:37 PM PDT by Irish_Thatcherite
IRA murdered mother 'not an informer' 07/07/2006 - 12:34:40
A mother of 10 who was abducted and shot dead by the IRA nearly 34 years ago was officially cleared today of allegations that she was an informer.
Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan said her investigators had found no evidence Jean McConville passed information to the security services.
The IRA claimed Mrs McConville, who was seized as she went to the aid of a fatally wounded British soldier outside her front door in December 1972, worked for the intelligence’s agencies.
Public pressure forced them into making an apology for the murder of the Belfast woman, but they never withdrew the slur.
Her remains were found on a beach near Dundalk, Co Louth in August 2003 – one of the nine of the so-called Disappeared who were murdered by the IRA and secretly buried during the 1970s.
The ombudsman launched her own inquiry after complaints by the McConville family into the police investigation of the killing.
Mrs O’Loan said it was not her normal role to confirm or deny the identity of people working as agents for the security services.
But she added: “However, this situation is unique. Jean McConville left an orphaned family, the youngest of whom were six-year-old boys. The family have suffered extensively over the years, as we all know, and that suffering has only been made worse by allegations that their mother was an informant.
“As part of our investigation we have looked very extensively at all the intelligence available at the time. There is no evidence that Mrs McConville gave information to the police, the military or the security service. She was not an informant.”
The police ombudsman said she will give the family more details of her findings soon and will make those details public.
Vera McVeigh, 82, mother of Columba, another of the Disappeared, said she was relieved Mrs McConville’s name had been cleared.
But she insisted her son, killed by the IRA in 1975, was innocent as well.
The 17-year-old from Donaghmore near Dungannon in Co Tyrone was working in Dublin as a painter. Searches have been carried out near Emyvale in Co Monaghan on three occasions, but his body has never been found.
“I have no doubt that my son is innocent. I could not pass on information about somebody I knew nothing about, so how can they?” she said.
“I have no hope of them finding my boy. My son was innocent, he was just 17 and he never said anything to the police.
“They can say what they like, they can do whatever they like, I am not interested in what these vile scum are saying.
“They are liars and they are evil and what they did to my son is unforgivable.”
Catholic priest Monsigor Denis Faul from Carrickmore had appealed a number of times for Columba’s body to be returned. The priest died last month.
In 1999, the IRA offered to help locate the bodies of the nine Disappeared. Three victims were found in 1999 while one was uncovered in 2003.
The IRA apologised for the grief suffered by the families of the Disappeared in October 2003.
The son of the murdered West Belfast woman, Michael McConville, said he was pleased that his mother’s name had been cleared.
“I am glad that Nuala O’Loan has stated the facts that my mother was not an informer.
“I am also glad that someone has stood up for her because this is the first time that has happened,” he said.
“The stigma of it has always been very hard to bear. What people keep saying is that she was an informer.
“We as a family know fine rightly that my mother was never an informer.”
He added that if the IRA had nothing to hide, then why did it not make his mother’s body available.
“I think the police owes the McConville family an apology for their non-investigation into this.”
Hibernofascist ping.
What is Irish alzheimer's Disease?
I think this more serious than a grudge...
... Jean McConville left an orphaned family, the youngest of whom were six-year-old boys.
What despicable b***ards. She was guilty of comforting a dying man.
Yes, that was all she done!!
I_T...I'm not familiar with this story, was it the IRA who seized her?
This brought up a memory of when I met the husband of a cousin from Dublin.
He was from "the North" and Margaret's parents didn't approve of him, even going to the point of having a Bishop interject on their behalf to talk her out of marrying him.
Anyway, I was to stay with them one weekend and on a Friday early evening I drove in to meet him at a hotel bar near their home. As we conversed we segued into Irish politics, and I let on my admiration for Maggie Thatcher. He became animated about the IRA and actually pounded his fist on the bar as he let out his dismay of "us almost getting that bitch, Thatcher!" (Brighton hotel bombing).
I decided not to pursue the subject and a little later we left for his home.
There, he directed me to a room with several pictures on the wall. He pointed one out particularly, an old photo. He said it was of the Irish Republican Brotherhood* members who survived after the British plan to eradicate them. He put his finger on one of the men in the photo and identified him as his grandfather.
And he asked me, "Now Jeff, does he look like a terrorist? Or a man who only wishes what is right, for his country and his family?"
I had earlier made my mind up about my cousin's spouse, when he stretched his neck to check out a young lady that was walking into the hotel bar as we exited. So I just replied, "I'm sure he thought he was justified", then said I was tired and asked for my bed.
I've found though, after ten visits to Ireland, a very skewed bias towards Maggie Thatcher. To this day people act as if she killed Bobby Sands. No matter if he made the decision to starve himself to death, no matter if he was offered food every day, no matter that he was (from what I've gleaned) complicit in bomb making and/or planting activities.
No, the Irish have to have their martyrs. And we can't have a martyr without a 'divil'.
* I'm well aware of the vast difference between the goals and especially the tactics of the IRB and the IRA.
But then Kennedy's daughter is married to one of the IRA honchos.
Yes, and they buried her at an undisclosed location for years.
He became animated about the IRA and actually pounded his fist on the bar as he let out his dismay of "us almost getting that bitch, Thatcher!" (Brighton hotel bombing). I decided not to pursue the subject and a little later we left for his home.
I've had a couple of close calls meself in pubs about the IRA!!
I've found though, after ten visits to Ireland, a very skewed bias towards Maggie Thatcher. To this day people act as if she killed Bobby Sands. No matter if he made the decision to starve himself to death, no matter if he was offered food every day, no matter that he was (from what I've gleaned) complicit in bomb making and/or planting activities. No, the Irish have to have their martyrs. And we can't have a martyr without a 'divil'.
Yup - I nickname him 'Hungry Bob' - just to piss people off!!
* I'm well aware of the vast difference between the goals and especially the tactics of the IRB and the IRA.
True, they didn't kill civilians in bombs!
But then Kennedy's daughter is married to one of the IRA honchos.
King seems worse than Kennedy in ways - an unusual position for a Republican!
BTW, I heard that before about Kennedy's daughter, who is she married to?
Married to an IRA member who spent time in the Tombs in London. Of course, you know he was innocent, just a political prisoner...blah blah blah.
Told me he hates Thatcher. He took down the American flag from in front of their house and flies the British flag. They make me sick to my stomach.
NO wonder Kennedy can't see through them... I wonder what King's excuse is...
British lefties bend over backward for Irish 'Republicanism'.
Anyway, I'm calling it a night, goodnight! :)
When Gerry Adams arrived here on a visa given him by slick willie, he was treated like royalty at the Kennedy's. While Adams was officially not permitted to raise funds here, you know that the Kennedy's saw to it that funds were transferred to Adams and the IRA.
I_T...Rep. King is no friend of conservatives here in America. I wouldn't doubt that he and his Irish pals privately bemoaned Maggie's escape in the Brighton hotel bombing.
I remember when they were digging up car parks and beaches searching for her body. The IRA murdered her simply for showing compassion to a dying soldier who was shot on her doorstep - one of their more despicable atrocities. I'm glad to see that her name has been cleared by the police.
I am pretty sure he and Hannity are good friends, tho.
I wouldn't doubt that he and his Irish pals privately bemoaned Maggie's escape in the Brighton hotel bombing.
I remember a jackass here on FR saying the same thing about Thatcher!
I can never figure why Adams was (and still is) allowed to visit the US.
While Adams was officially not permitted to raise funds here, you know that the Kennedy's saw to it that funds were transferred to Adams and the IRA.
Kennedy is one corrupt SOB!! I guess Noraid is not 'officially connected' with Sinn Fein, again, I can't figure why it's permitted in the US.
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