British soldier bebo site ‘Kill all taigs’

The following statement has been made by Relatives for Justice concerning the content of Bebo websites belonging to serving British soldiers many of whom are returning, and have already returned, from Iraq and Afghanistan and who plan to march through Belfast this coming Sunday. Relatives of people killed by the British army, including people killed through British army collusion with loyalists, object to the march and have asked that the homecoming be marked only by the civic reception that was approved by Belfast City Council. The Council did not approve a march. It was only after securing Council support for the reception that the MoD then decided to march.

The Bebo site in this instance is www.bebo.com – search ‘Moorso’ hometown loyalist Belfast.

‘This site is one of numerous Bebo sites in which serving British soldiers who will be taking part in the planned homecoming openly display their support for loyalist paramilitary death squads, pose with loyalist trappings as their backdrop and most disturbingly carry images of masked and armed loyalists in which these same soldiers cite ‘kill all taigs’.

‘In recent days RFJ have uncovered dozens of such websites connecting the RIR to loyalist paramilitaries. This exposes the nonsense propagated by unionists that this event has the support of Catholics.

‘This is highly offensive and provocative especially for the families affected by loyalist and British army violence and is precisely why this march needs to be now called off.

‘Once again serious questions about the relationship between those British soldiers, in particular the RIR, and loyalist paramilitaries arises. The MoD have been conspicuously absent since filing for this march refusing to make themselves available to the people of the very city they want to march through which in itself is unacceptable. The MoD Minister – John Hutton MP – needs to explain his position regarding this development as does British Secretary of State Shaun Woodward MP.

‘Those unionists supporting the march, like the First Minister and Nelson McCausland, need to reflect on the content within these websites and explain their support in light of this very serious development.’

Mark Thompson

RFJ