MEPs urged to probe NI 'collusion'
MEPs were today urged to send a cross-party delegation to Northern Ireland to look into collusion between members of the security forces and loyalist paramilitary gangs.
The proposal was being put to MEPs during a visit to Brussels by a number of groups including Relatives for Justice, the Campaign Against Plastic Bullets and An Fhirinne.
The delegation has also arranged talks with a number of Brussels-based human rights and social justice groups.
Robert McClenaghan, whose grandfather Philip Garry was among 15 people killed in a loyalist bomb attack at McGurk’s Bar in north Belfast in December 1971, said they hoped to persuade various European Parliament groups to send a delegation to Northern Ireland to study collusion.
“What we are trying to do during this visit is highlight the need for an international fully independent judicial inquiry into the policy of collusion and state killings,” he said.
“Since the inception of the European Court, the British government had been found guilty of human rights violations against its own citizens more times than any other member state.
“There has been up to now almost a brick wall in the European Parliament when it comes to making the British government face up to its involvement in collusion. The British government has just stonewalled on the issue.
“We believe, now the British government is the president of the European Union, it is an apt time to examine its role and we are looking to European Parliament Groups from the Christian Democrats to the Social Democrats right through to the Marxists to agree to a delegation of two MEPs from each of their groups to visit Belfast and other places affected by collusion.”
The delegation said it would also raise concerns during its visit about the theft of a sensitive document from Castlereagh security complex containing the personal details of over 100 republicans, including Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
They said the discovery of the document in the hands of loyalists was proof that collusion continued.
