MEDIA SMEAR STORY AGAINST SINN FÉIN ANGERS CAMPAIGNERS

Evening Herald LIES about arrest in Robert Delany case

THE Dublin-based Evening Herald newspaper blatantly lied in a front-page splash story on September 6th claiming that what it termed a “Sinn Féin chief” had been arrested by gardaí in connection with the shooting of Dublin postal worker Robert Delany.
Robert has been in a coma since being shot in October 2008 in the home in Tallaght he shares with his partner and two young children.
Sinn Féin has consistently supported the campaign in support of justice for Robert Delany. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, South Dublin County Councillors Seán Crowe and Cathal King, Vice-President Mary Lou McDonald and Martin Ferris TD have all met Robert’s family.
On September 6th last, the Evening Herald ran a front-page story headlined “SF chief held for crippling postman.” The opening paragraph repeated the lie that an individual arrested in connection with the shooting was a “Sinn Féin man”. However, no member of Sinn Féin was arrested and the Evening Herald made no attempt to contact the party in relation to this false and damaging claim.
A sinister and unhelpful aspect of the Robert Delany case has been the promotion of a spurious republican link to the attackers. The Herald story has played directly to this agenda.
The ‘Justice for Robert Delany’ website carries the following statement by the campaign:
“One of the most disturbing features of the vicious attack on Robert is the people allegedly responsible are masquerading as Irish republicans and have used the name of Irish republicanism to cover themselves.
“The Delany family have met with Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Féin, and Seán Crowe the local Sinn Féin councillor, following which Sinn Féin issued statements and leaflets supporting the ‘Justice for Robert Delany Campaign’.”
Gerry Adams said:
“This incident had nothing to do with republicans and it is reprehensible if those involved tried to use the name of Irish republicanism to cover themselves.”
Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris said:
“Nobody, whatever their past involvement in the republican struggle, can use the republican cause as a cloak for criminal activity. If they attempt to do so, they will be repudiated and should face the full rigours of the law.”
Gerry Adams called on anyone with information to bring it to the Garda. Seán Crowe has repeated these sentiments at a public meeting in Tallaght organised by the Delany family.
The ‘Justice for Robert Delany’ website (http://www.innocentvictimsofviolence.ie) even carries a video message of support from Martin McGuinness. And, as the campaign notes, Sinn Féin members in Tallaght have helped distribute campaign leaflets.
Terry Delany, Robert’s father, spoke at this year’s Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, where he received a standing ovation from more than a thousand Sinn Féin activists and republicans.
Following complaints from Sinn Féin, the Herald smear was moved in later editions from the front page to inside pages but was not withdrawn.