Posted on 05/26/2005 9:42:23 AM PDT by Murtyo
The human rights group, Amnesty International, has called for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this morning's attempted robbery in Lusk, Co Dublin.
Two men were shot dead after Gardaí engaged armed raiders during the attempted robbery at a post office.
The men have been named as 33-year-old Colm Griffin from Canon Lillis Avenue in Dublin and 24-year-old Eric Hopkins from Lower Rutland Street in Dublin.
It is believed the men arrived at the scene just after 8am in stolen cars with false number plates. Gardaí had had the post office under surveillance.
It is understood the men were called on to drop their weapons before the gardaí opened fire. One of the men was shot dead at the scene, the other died from gunshot wounds in hospital.
Both men were part of an armed gang that had been under garda surveillance. Gardaí said three other men were arrested.
A chief superintendent has been appointed to investigate the circumstances of the shootings.
Amnesty International said it needed to be established that the garda officers had done everything possible to avoid shooting the men.
The organisation said the case also highlighted the need for an independent Garda ombudsman.
Since when does any Police department anywhere have to answer to Amnesty International?
Well RTE (Irish Peoples Democratic TV) reports it like they should!!
these were from an ERU (Emergency Response Unit) that's well armed. Plain clothes cops regularly carry guns too. Most beat/traffic Gardai are unarmed.
These people couldn't give a shit about "Human Rights" unless it mentions whites.
Where were they in Rwanda, Cambodia, etc.
Amnesty international....
I shit em.
Amnesty only picks safe targets to criticize.
An armed man in the act of commiting a crime is a valid target.
Hey, AI what you gonna do? Call Ireland names? Like "gulag"?
That was laughable - considering AI ingnored atrocities committed by the Soviet Union!
Wait for it - Sinn Fein/IRA will have something to say (in fact I think they already did - there is a stronger smell of B/S from RTE than usual!)
If the Gardai gave them a chance to surrender their weapons and they ignored those calls, more fool them. There should obviously be an investigation to make sure all procedures were followed, but assuming the cops acted professionally, I don't think anyone will have a problem.
Benton Harbor rioted for two days in response.
I too hadn't read about this but having checked out the Irish Times today it would appear to have been quite a well planned and slick operation and I compliment the Gardai in their response, these Dublin gangs are a real terror to the surrounding towns and villages and were well overdue a good thumping.
Like I say I have no problem with the Gards offing a couple of North Dublin gurriers but sometimes I contrast the way these things are handled North or South. The Gardai have always adopted a robust approach to gunmen, they are always backed up by the Irish Government and rightly so. However when the police in the North whack out even worse bandits and you know who I'm talking about, the Irish Government are always at the head of the queue expressing concern and demanding enquiries, a bit hard to take sometimes.
that's an interesting double standard. When the old RUC lost an officer to IRA murderers it was in the news but then the IRA killed a Garda - it was THE NEWS.
Granted this was in the Republic - and what happens in the Republic is more important to folks in the Republic than what happens in Northern Ireland, but I always remember my own reaction (as a child) and the country's reaction being so more profound when a Garda was killed compared to an RUC officer.
I know hinesight is 20/20 but I always thought that the Irish Govt should have Unilaterally taken on and taken apart the IRA and reclaimed Irishness from those thugs and terrorists.
Here in the States, we had an idiot try to rob a gun shop with a knife. The store owner was armed. A cop was in the store at the time, also. Needless to say, the idiot didn't leave the store.
Back in the late 70's when I was with the Sheriff's Office I went to visit the in-law's in Ireland, had a friend in the Garda and commented about them being unarmed. His buddy in Special Branch showed me what they had in the boot of their car. The first thing I noticed was the Uzi. If a Cowboy gets drunk overthere, those boys are ready.
Interesting Poll on this off http://www.unison.ie
UNISON.IE POLLS
Selected Irish Independent Poll:
Do you think Garda actions at yesterday's post office raid in Lusk were justified?
Yes
91.7%
No
8.3%
Polls by SMS
To enter your comments please email the following address and specify the poll question in the subject line.
polls@unison.ie.
Please restrict length of comments. Abusive comments will not be posted.
Your Comments:
Anyone who is prepared to walk into a post office with a gun and hold it up should also be prepared to take whatever consequences there are.
Andy, Dublin
These criminals are thugs. Well know thugs. I agree with Bertie that people should not get weak kneed. The Guards are putting their lives at risk everyday so we can live in a safer country. Maybe now that two thugs like these two were shot other robbers might think twice about committing robberies. Guards need to protect themselves, if this means shooting an armed robber then they should shoot. Thugs like these know what they are risking when the bring a gun to a robbery
John
I have to say well done to the Garda, God help us if ever the greens or labour became into power. I think they would have demanded that the robbers should have been taken down with soft cushions and demanded an inquiry because the robbers hadn’t been given a cup of tea
JJ Quinlan
The Garda were spot on, should they wait until somebody is shot before they act, their bravery should be commended. If a criminal gang enter a post office with a loaded gun, they can only expect to be met with equal force. Organisations like Amnesty do themselves a lot of harm with normal decent people when they start pleading for the 'human rights' of gun carrying criminals.
Larry, Kilkenny
Presumably these armed raiders carried guns with the intention of using them if required, thereby ignoring the rights of any of the innocent bystanders who got caught up in the raid. Why then should the raiders have any rights attributed to them. The Gardai involved should be commended.
Zack Lee Wright
Well done Gardai! It is time for the nation to rejoice that at long last these scumbag criminals got their just desserts. Whenever I hear that individuals who perpetrate crimes that endanger lives, whether it be bank robbers or joyriders end up six feet under, it’s a cause for celebration. One less criminal going through our revolving door prison system can only be a good thing.
Brian, Dublin
Of course it was justified, they should also receive a medail for it !!! I really think all Garda should be armed anyway. Maybe then all those low-life chancer will think twice before attempting to commit a crime... makes you wonder , no ???
Nicolas
Rodney King springs to mind - for f€€€'s sake!!!!!
Thank God he didn't!!!
The people are right!!! The staff of that post office are ungrateful brats though - they are complaining that the Gardai didn't tell them about the operation, and how scared they were when the ERU opened fire - f€€€ those ungrateful c€€€s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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