30 November 2006 Edition

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Loughinisland Justice Group in Brussels

Members of the Loughinisland Justice Group visited the European Parliament in Brussels this week to seek the support of MEPs and EU officials in relation to their complaint to the Police Ombudsman in relation to the role of police informers and the failure to investigate the Loughinisland atrocity and bring the murderers before a court.

The Loughinisland Justice Group is made up of relatives of those murdered by the UVF in O'Toole's bar in June 18th 1994. South Down MLA Caitriona Ruane is accompanying the delegation and they were greeted at the European Parliament by Bairbre de Brún MEP.

Caitríona Ruane said that in recently months it had bee established that:

  • A British Agent has admitted supplying the car used in murders
  • The car used by the murderers to get away has subsequently been destroyed by the investigating team
  • A hair follicle was found on one of the balaclavas - yet nobody has been charged
  • At least one of the weapons used was imported from South Africa by British Agent Brian Nelson
  • The PSNI have consistently refused to answer questions from the families preferring to hide behind the Official Secrets Act

"The families have in asked the Police Ombudsman to carry out an investigation into these matters. It is essential that the Police Ombudsman conducts a diligent independent investigation into the families' complaint and we await with interest the report of the Police Ombudsman into this matter. The families will be presenting the political groupings with a declaration, seeking their support for such a course of action.

"What happened at Loughinisland had a deep impact across the island. These families deserve nothing less than the truth. Sinn Féin will continue to stand with the families in the time ahead as they seek answers to the very serious questions which they are now raising into the events of that night 12 years ago and the subsequent behaviour of the RUC and PSNI.


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