12 March 1998 Edition
Prisoner still ill-treated
By Peadar Whelan
The family and friends of Seamus McArdle, who is being held in Belmarsh prison in London, have told An Phoblacht that the South Armagh man is still suffering serious harassment from prison warders.
And they have also revealed that a delegation from the Irish embassy in London will visit McArdle on 16 March. The visit was arranged as a result of lobbying by the family and friends of McArdle.
McArdle, who is charged in connection with the IRA bomb at Canary Wharf two years ago, is back on remand after the original trial against him collapsed when the jury couldn't reach a majority verdict on Friday 19 February.
Since then the Armagh man has been strip searched regularly and is moved cell sometimes once a week.
During these cell moves McArdle is strip searched while his belongings are searched and often strewn across the cell.
This comes against the backdrop of 120 strip searches as the young man was brought to and from the Old Bailey. Legal papers pertaining to his case have also been rifled.
The abuse eased slightly when McArdle threatened to go to court naked.
According to a friend of the family McArdle compiled a dossier listing the number of searches he received, but this was confiscated by the jail authorities. However, the official jail report of the number of searches McArdle was given, which he requested, numbered less than half of McArdle's list.
There are also questions being raised about McArdle's health. He has lost 21 pounds in weight and has yet to get proper medical attention for facial injuries he received when he was beaten at the time of his arrest.
A local doctor, who visited McArdle and forwarded a report to the Dublin government has expressed her worries to the family, especially as the injury has not fully healed.
``Seamus's family are worried about the long term effect this ill-treatment will have on him'', a family friend said. ``The lack of family contact is a source of worry too. His mother and father are elderly and cannot travel. Only two family members are cleared to visit him, the rest are not. It's just like the British want their pound of flesh and this is their way of getting it''.
The family and friends of Seamus McArdle, who is being held in Belmarsh prison in London, have told An Phoblacht that the South Armagh man is still suffering serious harassment from prison warders.
And they have also revealed that a delegation from the Irish embassy in London will visit McArdle on 16 March. The visit was arranged as a result of lobbying by the family and friends of McArdle.
McArdle, who is charged in connection with the IRA bomb at Canary Wharf two years ago, is back on remand after the original trial against him collapsed when the jury couldn't reach a majority verdict on Friday 19 February.
Since then the Armagh man has been strip searched regularly and is moved cell sometimes once a week.
During these cell moves McArdle is strip searched while his belongings are searched and often strewn across the cell.
This comes against the backdrop of 120 strip searches as the young man was brought to and from the Old Bailey. Legal papers pertaining to his case have also been rifled.
The abuse eased slightly when McArdle threatened to go to court naked.
According to a friend of the family McArdle compiled a dossier listing the number of searches he received, but this was confiscated by the jail authorities. However, the official jail report of the number of searches McArdle was given, which he requested, numbered less than half of McArdle's list.
There are also questions being raised about McArdle's health. He has lost 21 pounds in weight and has yet to get proper medical attention for facial injuries he received when he was beaten at the time of his arrest.
A local doctor, who visited McArdle and forwarded a report to the Dublin government has expressed her worries to the family, especially as the injury has not fully healed.
``Seamus's family are worried about the long term effect this ill-treatment will have on him'', a family friend said. ``The lack of family contact is a source of worry too. His mother and father are elderly and cannot travel. Only two family members are cleared to visit him, the rest are not. It's just like the British want their pound of flesh and this is their way of getting it''.