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IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
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IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
bb1 Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:43 pm
http://news.sky.com/story/1218404/ira-amnesty-letters-inquiry-announced-by-pm
IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
"There was never any amnesty or guarantee of immunity for anyone, and there isn't now," insists the PM as he announces a probe.
David Cameron has announced an inquiry into so-called "amnesty" letters sent to IRA suspects which triggered a political crisis.
The letters, which effectively granted immunity from arrest, led to the collapse of the trial of John Downey, who was suspected of involvement in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.
The Prime Minister said there would be a judge-led inquiry into the arrangement that led to nearly 200 letters being sent to Republican paramilitaries as part of the ongoing peace process.
Northern Ireland First Minister, the Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson, threatened to resign on Wednesday if Mr Cameron did not announce an inquiry, saying he had been "kept in the dark" about a deal.
t put at risk of collapse the fragile Stormont administration.
Some 187 letters have been sent out as part of the peace process - 38 have been sent since the Coalition came to power in 2010, although the applications were received before then, and the last was in December 2012.
However, the Deputy First Minister, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, said the unionists had been aware of the arrangement and it was so widely known Tony Blair's Chief of Staff Jonathan Powell had written about it in his book.
Making the announcement in the middle of a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Cameron said: "I agree with the First Minister of Northern Ireland that, after the terrible error in the (John) Downey case, it is right to get to the bottom of what happened.
"The case has already been referred to the Police Ombudsman but, as the First Minister has said, we should have a full, independent examination of the whole operation of this scheme.
"So I can announce today that we will appoint an independent judge to produce a full public account of the operation of this administrative scheme to determine whether any other letters were sent in error."
He added the judge would have "full access to Government files and officials" and would report by May.
However, he disputed the letters amounted to an "amnesty", saying: "This process continued under this Government. There was never any amnesty or guarantee of immunity for anyone, and there isn't now."
He later tweeted: "I have just spoken to Peter Robinson. I told him I shared his anger over the Downey letter - and was glad we have agreed on an inquiry."
Sky's Ireland Correspondent David Blevins said Mr Robinson was happy with the announcement.
Speaking after a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers on Thursday morning, Mr McGuinness said it was a time for "cool heads" and "steady leadership".
Mr Downey was told by a judge on Tuesday that he would not be prosecuted because he had been sent a letter by Northern Ireland police in 2007 saying he would not be arrested, despite an outstanding Metropolitan Police arrest warrant for the attack.
As a result of the Scotland Yard warrant the letter should never have been sent and although the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNO) realised this soon after they took no action.
The PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott has referred the case to the Police Ombudsman.
Mr Downey denies the murder of four soldiers in the 1982 bombing. Seven horses also died in the attack.
===================
"There was never any amnesty or guarantee of immunity for anyone, and there isn't now," insists the PM as he announces a probe
So, why did the trial of the person accused of this atrocity:
Collapse this week? It's glaringly obvious that there HAS been dirty dealing going on behind the scenes.
IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
"There was never any amnesty or guarantee of immunity for anyone, and there isn't now," insists the PM as he announces a probe.
David Cameron has announced an inquiry into so-called "amnesty" letters sent to IRA suspects which triggered a political crisis.
The letters, which effectively granted immunity from arrest, led to the collapse of the trial of John Downey, who was suspected of involvement in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.
The Prime Minister said there would be a judge-led inquiry into the arrangement that led to nearly 200 letters being sent to Republican paramilitaries as part of the ongoing peace process.
Northern Ireland First Minister, the Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson, threatened to resign on Wednesday if Mr Cameron did not announce an inquiry, saying he had been "kept in the dark" about a deal.
t put at risk of collapse the fragile Stormont administration.
Some 187 letters have been sent out as part of the peace process - 38 have been sent since the Coalition came to power in 2010, although the applications were received before then, and the last was in December 2012.
However, the Deputy First Minister, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, said the unionists had been aware of the arrangement and it was so widely known Tony Blair's Chief of Staff Jonathan Powell had written about it in his book.
Making the announcement in the middle of a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Cameron said: "I agree with the First Minister of Northern Ireland that, after the terrible error in the (John) Downey case, it is right to get to the bottom of what happened.
"The case has already been referred to the Police Ombudsman but, as the First Minister has said, we should have a full, independent examination of the whole operation of this scheme.
"So I can announce today that we will appoint an independent judge to produce a full public account of the operation of this administrative scheme to determine whether any other letters were sent in error."
He added the judge would have "full access to Government files and officials" and would report by May.
However, he disputed the letters amounted to an "amnesty", saying: "This process continued under this Government. There was never any amnesty or guarantee of immunity for anyone, and there isn't now."
He later tweeted: "I have just spoken to Peter Robinson. I told him I shared his anger over the Downey letter - and was glad we have agreed on an inquiry."
Sky's Ireland Correspondent David Blevins said Mr Robinson was happy with the announcement.
Speaking after a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers on Thursday morning, Mr McGuinness said it was a time for "cool heads" and "steady leadership".
Mr Downey was told by a judge on Tuesday that he would not be prosecuted because he had been sent a letter by Northern Ireland police in 2007 saying he would not be arrested, despite an outstanding Metropolitan Police arrest warrant for the attack.
As a result of the Scotland Yard warrant the letter should never have been sent and although the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNO) realised this soon after they took no action.
The PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott has referred the case to the Police Ombudsman.
Mr Downey denies the murder of four soldiers in the 1982 bombing. Seven horses also died in the attack.
===================
"There was never any amnesty or guarantee of immunity for anyone, and there isn't now," insists the PM as he announces a probe
So, why did the trial of the person accused of this atrocity:
Collapse this week? It's glaringly obvious that there HAS been dirty dealing going on behind the scenes.
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Join date : 2011-06-24
Re: IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
Sabot Thu Feb 27, 2014 5:52 pm
There always have been dirty dealings going on behind the scenes, on both sides.
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Re: IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
lily Thu Feb 27, 2014 5:55 pm
That's politics for you. 
lily- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-06-24
Re: IRA 'Amnesty' Letters Inquiry Announced By PM
bb1 Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:18 pm
http://news.sky.com/story/1218863/n-ireland-crisis-grave-concern-over-ira-letters
N Ireland Crisis: 'Grave Concern' Over IRA Letters
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers concedes there is "grave concern" about the scheme, as the Assembly is recalled.
The Northern Ireland Assembly will hold a special debate later on the controversy surrounding the Government's handling of so-called on-the-run Republican terror suspects.
It comes amid a row over whether letters sent to nearly 200 alleged IRA fugitives as part of the ongoing peace process provided them with immunity.
Northern Ireland First Minister, the Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson, has withdrawn his threat to resign over the issue and has said he is satisfied the letters are not worth the paper they are written on and do not provide suspects with immunity.
The writing of state-sanctioned letters, which effectively granted immunity from arrest, led to the collapse of the trial of John Downey, who was suspected of involvement in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.
Sky's Niall Paterson put it to Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers that the problem was "that for some people, at least, the impression has been given that a deal was done behind closed doors".
"Unlike with the Good Friday agreement where people were released from prison but they retained their conviction and they had served a sentence, it does appear that people were being told they wouldn't even face trial," he said.
In response, the Secretary of State conceded there was "grave concern" about the way the scheme, created by the previous government, was operated.
But she reiterated her pledge that the so-called "amnesty" letters would not prevent suspects from being "questioned or prosecuted".
She told Sky News: "All they did was to convey the factual position to individuals as to whether they were or were not sought by police for terrorist offences. If they had conferred an immunity, of course we would have scrapped the scheme there and then.
"As they didn't, it was decided that it was permissable to continue the checks on those cases which were ongoing when this Government took office.
"The letters don't provide immunity and anyone who is holding those letters should be well aware that if evidence emerges that connects them with terrorism then they would be arrested and prosecuted in the normal way.
"The reason why the judge decided that the trial couldn't go ahead in John Downey's case is that he was sent a letter that was misleading.
"The letter said that police in Northern Ireland didn't believe that Mr Downey was wanted for offences in Northern Ireland or anywhere else in the UK. Unfortunately it turned out at the time that they knew he was wanted by the Metropolitan Police in relation to the Hyde Park bombing.
"It was that inaccuracy in the letter that went out which caused the problem with the trial.
"But the letters themselves do not confirm immunity and that is what I have made very clear."
"There is clearly grave concern about the way this scheme was administered ... and we are very clear (that) a full public account of the facts of how the scheme operated (should) be put in the public domain."
Prime Minister David Cameron announced a judge-led inquiry into the arrangement on Thursday "to get to the bottom of what happened".
He said the judge would have "full access to Government files and officials" and would report by May.
Some 187 letters have been sent out as part of the peace process and 38 have been sent since the coalition came to power in 2010, although the applications were received before then, and the last was in December 2012.
N Ireland Crisis: 'Grave Concern' Over IRA Letters
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers concedes there is "grave concern" about the scheme, as the Assembly is recalled.
The Northern Ireland Assembly will hold a special debate later on the controversy surrounding the Government's handling of so-called on-the-run Republican terror suspects.
It comes amid a row over whether letters sent to nearly 200 alleged IRA fugitives as part of the ongoing peace process provided them with immunity.
Northern Ireland First Minister, the Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson, has withdrawn his threat to resign over the issue and has said he is satisfied the letters are not worth the paper they are written on and do not provide suspects with immunity.
The writing of state-sanctioned letters, which effectively granted immunity from arrest, led to the collapse of the trial of John Downey, who was suspected of involvement in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.
Sky's Niall Paterson put it to Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers that the problem was "that for some people, at least, the impression has been given that a deal was done behind closed doors".
"Unlike with the Good Friday agreement where people were released from prison but they retained their conviction and they had served a sentence, it does appear that people were being told they wouldn't even face trial," he said.
In response, the Secretary of State conceded there was "grave concern" about the way the scheme, created by the previous government, was operated.
But she reiterated her pledge that the so-called "amnesty" letters would not prevent suspects from being "questioned or prosecuted".
She told Sky News: "All they did was to convey the factual position to individuals as to whether they were or were not sought by police for terrorist offences. If they had conferred an immunity, of course we would have scrapped the scheme there and then.
"As they didn't, it was decided that it was permissable to continue the checks on those cases which were ongoing when this Government took office.
"The letters don't provide immunity and anyone who is holding those letters should be well aware that if evidence emerges that connects them with terrorism then they would be arrested and prosecuted in the normal way.
"The reason why the judge decided that the trial couldn't go ahead in John Downey's case is that he was sent a letter that was misleading.
"The letter said that police in Northern Ireland didn't believe that Mr Downey was wanted for offences in Northern Ireland or anywhere else in the UK. Unfortunately it turned out at the time that they knew he was wanted by the Metropolitan Police in relation to the Hyde Park bombing.
"It was that inaccuracy in the letter that went out which caused the problem with the trial.
"But the letters themselves do not confirm immunity and that is what I have made very clear."
"There is clearly grave concern about the way this scheme was administered ... and we are very clear (that) a full public account of the facts of how the scheme operated (should) be put in the public domain."
Prime Minister David Cameron announced a judge-led inquiry into the arrangement on Thursday "to get to the bottom of what happened".
He said the judge would have "full access to Government files and officials" and would report by May.
Some 187 letters have been sent out as part of the peace process and 38 have been sent since the coalition came to power in 2010, although the applications were received before then, and the last was in December 2012.
bb1- Slayer of scums
- Location : watcher on the wall
Join date : 2011-06-24
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