Yet more stalling tactics by the PSNI into Inquest of SAS killings of two IRA Volunteers
Speaking after this morning’s preliminary inquest hearing into the British army’s SAS killings of Martin McCaughey and Dessie Grew, Peter McCaughey, Brother of Martin, issued the following statement through Relatives for Justice (RFJ);
‘The families have already taken the case concerning the killings to the European Court, the British High Court and the House of Lords in our battle to obtain the truth surrounding the killings and for justice to be seen to be done.
‘This has been an almost twenty-year legal battle that has taken its own toll in terms of the families – my father Owen passed away and in no small measure the impact of delay, prevarication and stalling of the inquest contributed to his trauma, ill-health and death. My mother is now continuing with the case.
‘At this morning’s hearing we again faced another tactical delay by the British government in the form of the PSNI’s Historical Enquiries Team (HET). As the inquest is now set, after almost twenty-years, to commence the PSNI informed the Coroner that the HET have the case on its schedule to examine and that whilst this would not yet commence until at least the latter part of 2010 it is their intention to examine the killings.
‘‘These killings were part of a clearly organized military plan to kill Martin and Dessie rather than to make safe and effective arrests within the rule of law. We further believe that the shoot-to-kill operation that led to the deaths was sanctioned at the highest political levels within both the NIO and London.
‘The objective on the part of the British government is to continue to prevent the truth concerning the killings from coming to light. The role of the PSNI’s HET must be seen within that context in that it is a contrived farce aimed at managing and suppressing the truth and thus the British government’s policy of shooting dead republicans.
‘For our part we want to publicly state that we do not want any PSNI HET examination of these killings.
The British government has certain legal obligations under both domestic and international law. We want a proper Article 2 inquest in which those responsible for planning, sanctioning and carrying out these killings are accountable to the families and the public for their actions. The HET met none of these requirements and their introduction at this stage is clear for all to see.
‘We will be raising the matter with the Irish government and will consider any legal action in terms of ensuring that this inquest proceeds immediately without any interference or distribution by the PSNI.’
