The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, met with the Stephen and Breige Quinn, the parents of murdered Armagh man, Paul, this morning. The Taoiseach was accompanied by the Republic’s Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, and Fianna Fáil TDs from Monaghan. Talking to El Blogador in Irish after the meeting, the SDLP MLA, Dominic Bradley, who accompanied the Quinns at their request, said that they had not expected to meet with the Taoiseach; their meeting had been arranged with the Minister for Justice only.
Bradley said that the Taoiseach offered his condolences to the Quinns and repeated what he had said in the Dáil yesterday, that he had not intended to suggest that Paul Quinn was a criminal. The family were very happy that the Irish government were now in agreement with them on this, said Bradley. He said that the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice said that every resource would be made available to the Gardaí to catch Paul Quinn’s killers and that they would not stop until his killers were apprehended. They were very happy with the help that the people of South Armagh were giving to the authorities.
Meanwhile the SDLP re-iterated their support for the Quinns. In a statement released yesterday, the SDLP said that the Quinns were certain that Paul Quinn “had been kidnapped and killed by the Provisional IRA following specific threats and an exiling order issued through a credible intermediary in the name of the Provisional IRA. The SDLP believes the family’s account of events. We believe they are right to reject the instant exoneration of any and all members of the Provisional IRA by Sinn Fein spokespersons and subsequent accusations of criminality against their dead son by people desperate to make the Sinn Fein story of a criminal feud stand up. We commend them for speaking out so courageously in the midst of their grief.
“From the very first, the Garda information indicated clear paramilitary involvement, as did all the information circulating in the area and the whole chain of events at the scene of the crime. The IMC report, based on Garda and PSNI intelligence, stated very bluntly that Paul was murdered by current or former members or associates of the Provisional IRA. Yet within 24 hours the Irish government's line was the exact opposite, and it was immediately echoed in London. The reason was clear in the panic in the faces and voices of Sinn Féin spokespersons.
“The two governments must not shield murder and murderers. The level at which this murder was sanctioned may be politically sensitive, but they should not run away from their responsibilities even if Sinn Féin does. That is why we are insisting on the dismantling of the local murder machine where the death warrants are signed and executed. We are also supporting and participating actively in the family’s campaign for truth and justice.”
The Quinns will also meet with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, this Friday and the Quinn Support Group will hold another public meeting in Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, next month.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Breaking News: Taoiseach meets with Quinns
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
17 comments:
this from Dominic Bradley is worth highlighting, as it sums up what many of us have been saying on Balrog since the beginning of grisly murder.
"These false allegations were a total red herring at the heart of a cynical spin strategy which has been crumbling for weeks and has now finally collapsed. Even the bussed-in Provo gang that tried to hijack the meeting in Crossmaglen last Thursday did not have the nerve to repeat them in front of a local audience which knows the truth about this murder. Conor Murphy stands alone.
"The Quinn family have acted with dignity in the face of these lies, but they are quite properly forceful in demanding the truth. Other meetings scheduled for later this week will completely nail the criminality lie and expose the reality of the Provo murder machine which still functions in South Armagh. Now that we have made such an important step towards truth, the way is open towards achieving justice through the courts of law. But beyond justice in this case is the need to dismantle the killing machine and expose those who try to conceal and protect it."
Well done to Dominic Bradley for supporting the family and using his political skills to force the state to commit to honouring its moral and legal obligations in the provision of justice for those murdered within the state, rather than being complicit in what is tantamount to a cover-up in the same abhorrent manner that the Irish state accused the UK of being on the countless occasions when that state turned a blind eye to crimes by its agents out of political expediency. It is an affront to all citizens that the Quinn family must struggle against the state at a time when they should be quietly grieving for their son. If the Irish state is involved in a cover-up, then we should have a tribunal into the conspiracy and those who gave such direction should go to prison.
What exactly did the IMC say? I can't find it on their website?
"Despite the fact that we are saying it is a local dispute, we do believe that those who were involved in the attack on him – in his brutal murder – included people who are members or former members or have associations with members or former members of the Provisional IRA,” - Found it!
There is no 'cover up' by the Irish Govt, its called due process and it is irresponsible for public reps to be saying that such and such was definitely sanctioned by the IRA without proof- suchg actions are irresponsible and would not be the correct behaviour of a party in Govt. This is not to say that if prrof is shown that backs up that theory, well then action must have to be taken - not before
The Dublin government is to be congratulated for their full support of the Quinns and resolution to bring the murderers to justice. The moral should always precede the political, that is in this instance, get the brutal killers first and put them before the bar of justice then, secondarily, let the chips fall where they may politically.
"...it is irresponsible for public reps to be saying that such and such was definitely sanctioned by the IRA without proof..."
I love the irony, given that the Irish government were saying that Paul Quinn was a criminal without proof - then forced to recant and back down from their smear campaign against the deceased (try reading the bloody article before making such hilarious comments). Due process means that the government must honour its obligations to provide justice, not dishonour them in order to protect the political wing of an organised criminal gang from embarrassment. You will also find that the ‘proof’ that is required by those Provo apologists and DUPers who are calling for it is of a standard that is not obtained from secret criminal organisations who do not keep minutes of meetings and do not provide signed confessions of illegal activity when requested to do so – it is ‘proof’ in the form of police intelligence. In that realm, the Irish government are fully briefed about who carried out the murder and who sanctioned it. Indeed, they also know that ***** told two of those involved to take the rap for the murder - after which they both fled to England.
Sorry Dubliner, I had to edit your comment slightly.
The next meeting will be in the Glencarn at 8pm on Wednesday 9th January 2008.
Elmat were is the thread on Sean Hoey he and his family are from your part of the world and have also suffered a grave injustice. Over four years in jail on trumped up charges. Obviously not on the same scale as the brutal murder of Paul Quinn.
Dubliner - Take your meds son. You don't know shit about this and it shows in your twaddle.
Dubliner
You have extremely severe issues. When you write things like that, you demean yourself. Not your opponent.
No problem, El Mat. However, I'll point out that it is on public record:
"Two young South Armagh republicans have fled to England fearing they will be 'scapegoated' for the murder of Paul Quinn.
They left in the middle of the week after it became clear they were to take the "rap" for the Quinn murder,' one senior Irish police officer said this weekend. 'They were told they would have to hand themselves over to the gardai.
The Garda officer said the men's leader, ***[removed by The Dubliner], was furious that the so-called punishment beating that went wrong has refocused attention on the IRA leader's smuggling empire on the border."
- Henry McDonald, Ireland editor, The Guardian, Sunday October 28, 2007
[Removed by El Matador]
Dubliner-
Your contributions to this site are much appreciated. However, could you please keep them within the realms of decency and legality? I've had to republish an edited version of your 21:11. Thanks.
El Mat, I'll try but the definitions of decency and legality seem to be fluid. The Guardian published it, so thinks it is legal. As for my censored comment, well Phantom needs to lighten up. Prudish neurotics are so 1970s.
Always a pity when one troll ruins it for everyone.
Happy Christmas lads...
Post a Comment