IRA killers' release part of deal (More appeasement)

BBC News ^ | Wednesday, 1 December, 2004 | Not stated

[Irish_Thatcherite]

The killers of an Irish police officer will be recommended for early release if there is a comprehensive deal in Northern Ireland.

Garda Jerry McCabe was killed in 1996

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Irish Parliament that he will recommend that the four men be freed as part of a settlement to secure IRA decommissioning.

Detective Jerry McCabe was shot dead by the IRA during a robbery in County Limerick in 1996.

Four men were convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 11 to 14 years.

IRA leadership

Responding to a question by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Mr Ahern said: "As part of a comprehensive agreement, the government would give consideration to the early release and I would recommend that that would be the case.

"I know the difficulties involved. It still is an issue that we're outstanding in."

Mr Ahern said that the four men would not be released under the Good Friday Agreement but under previous acts of legislation.

He added that the release was necessary "if we were to get to a position where we would get decommissioning of IRA arms held by IRA leadership and GHQ and if we were also to get to a position where there would be instructions to IRA volunteers".

Following the announcement, Det Garda McCabe's widow Ann and his family issued a statement expressing their shock

They said the shock was "compounded by the fact that the McCabe family had no advance notice of the statement and had to learn of the taoiseach's remarks from radio news bulletins".

"The trust and faith in the word and written assurance of the government have sustained the McCabe family through the trauma and repeated agony of repeated demands for the release of the killers of Jerry McCabe," they said.

Support and sympathy

Ann McCabe has also reinforced her family's position to Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy within the past few weeks.

"Mrs McCabe and the McCabe family continue to be consoled by the loyal support of the Garda Representative Association as well as members and ex-members of the force and their families."

"Mrs McCabe made it absolutely clear to the secretary of state that, as far as she and the McCabe family are concerned, those responsible for the cold blooded killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe were engaged in criminal activity and not in a paramilitary action," the statement said.

Garda Representative Association spokesman Paul Brown said he was "dismayed" at Mr Ahern's comments.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

This is a complete U-turn on previous statements made by the Irish Government.

From last May:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3707737.stm

Weimer Republic Mark II?

[1066AD]

decommissioning of IRA arms

More rusty relics like last time ?

[SFC Chromey]

Responding to a question by Fine Gael leader /Enda/ Kenny,
____________________________________________________________
Wow I really am NOT the only guy in the world with this name!

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Hiberno-Fascist ping

[CitadelArmyJag]

Michael Collins was the IRA. These people are just thugs and gangsters who use Irish Nationalism as a ruse to deal drugs and commit street crime.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

More rusty relics like last time ?

Stock clearance - need room for new guns.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Michael Collins was the IRA. These people are just thugs and gangsters who use Irish Nationalism as a ruse to deal drugs and commit street crime.

True, they are a long way from the 'Big Fella'.

[kingsurfer]

The most optimistic thing about the Irish Troubles is that the young form all over the UK who have grown up with it in the headlines and on the streets everyday now understand how fruitless the fighting and terrorism truely is.

The only people that are fighting now are fighting fordrugs and money.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

A lot of ye Brits joining up of late - is it because Blair, like Bertie - is increasingly a Nanny-Stater Lunatic?!?! LOL.

[kingsurfer]

A lot of ye Brits joining up of late - is it because Blair, like Bertie - is increasingly a Nanny-Stater Lunatic?!?! LOL.


HEHE, Yeh not too keen on all the red tape or the ID cards or the Home Secretary or the Sleaze etc etc.
The last few years have changed everything politically. There is no right of left (apart from the unelectable liberals).
I guess I will be voting Conservative next time but I doubt they will get into Government. But if Tony Blair gets in again Britain will be ruined I think. Fox hunting ban is waste of time, money and energy and the ID cards and attempts to end House of Lords is an affront to the nation and a power grab in my eyes.

[elhombrelibre]

The original IRA were romantic idealists with more interest in books than bombs. Today's IRA is more interested in extortion than justice.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

And now a smoking ban - though not as strict as here.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

I thought I coined the term 'hibernofascism', but Tim Pat Coogan bet me to it:

http://www.olimu.com/Journalism/Texts/Reviews/HibernoFascism.htm'

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Correction, John Derbyshire who coined it, he was writing a book review by Tim Pat Coogan

- Coogan; Ireland's most descredited historian.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Michael Collins was the IRA. These people are just thugs and gangsters who use Irish Nationalism as a ruse to deal drugs and commit street crime.

True, they are a long way from the 'Big Fella'.

And like Arthur Griffith, he became a Free Stater, and for this he was bushwacked by some of his former comrades in the IRA.

Another important Irish nationalist figure was Tom Clarke. While Pearse was socialist and Connolly was an out-and-out Communist, I believe Tom Clarke was an advocate of an independent Irish republic pure and simple, without any admixture of alien ideologies.

::grumbles:: Wish I had a mystical homeland somewhere on the other side of the world with commies supporting me. Stupid imperialistic English ancestors!

[Peter Libra]

A word on Michael Collins. Yes, he was indeed in the early fight against British rule. It was the IRA. He met with Churchill in London. 26 counties were to be put under a new provisional government. 6 were to be sectioned off as "Northern Ireland". Collins agreed. He and others argued that it was better to get a new nation- and not binding for ever.

The old hard line IRA broke away and demanded a fight to the finish with Britain. There was civil war (1923). "Irregular" troops gunned down Collins from an ambush. Irishmen hunted Irishmen. The IRA went to ground and re grouped in Northern Ireland. No more bitter enemy of the IRA than the new provisional government under Collins. They hanged some of them and shot others. (Battle of the Knockmealdown Meadows etc.)

[slane]

those responsible for the cold blooded killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe were engaged in criminal activity and not in a paramilitary action," the statement said.

I well remember McCabe's murder and the thugs who murdered him should never be released, certainly not to secure some empty promises on decomissioning. The Irish govt. is acting disgracefully to even propose this.

[Colosis]

Hey Irish, did you believe that Bertie would never release these Neanderthals? This was a cold blooded murder done by lowest scum on this earth. And our leader is willing to trade them for 'Peace' in NI.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Pearse was more like an early Fascist/National Socialist.

Another great Free Stater for you Kevin O'Higgins - Free State Ireland's Donald Rumsfeld, shot by the Irregulars in 1927.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

I am well aware of those facts, I admire Collins more for facing down the Irregulars, than for winning independence - he was Washington and Lincoln at the same time.