3 February 2005 Edition

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Blair to apologise over Conlon injustice

Ailing miscarriage of justice victim Guiseppe Conlon died in an English gaol

Ailing miscarriage of justice victim Guiseppe Conlon died in an English gaol

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is reported to be on the verge of making a public apology to the family of Guiseppe Conlon. In one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice carried out by the British judiciary against Irish people, the Falls Road man was imprisoned and left to die in a British jail.

Conlon was arrested and charged, along with the Maguire family, and wrongly convicted of involvement in bombings in England in the 1970s.

His son Gerry had already been wrongfully convicted, with three others, in connection with the Guildford pub bombings. In 1991 the convictions were finally overturned, but Guiseppe had already died in 1980 at the age of 56.

It is expected that Blair will make a public apology to the Conlon family from the floor of the British Parliament. It is also understood that he will write a personal letter of apology to Conlon's widow, Sarah.

The development comes after a high profile campaign by the Conlon family.

Although SDLP leader Mark Durkan received a private apology from the British Prime Minister, the Conlons have expressed their demand for that apology to be made public.

BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS


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