Loughinisland families take their case to the European Parliament
Members of the Loughinisland Justice Group are today visiting the European
Parliament
in Brussels 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 in the atrocity and the failure of the police to
investigate
the 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.
Speaking from Brussels Ms Ruane said:
"Earlier
this month I accompanied the families of the six men killed by the
UVF
in Loughinisland to Westminster. I am pleased to accompany them to the
European
Parliament also. It has been a long and difficult road for the
families
who have been waiting 12 years for justice.
"Today's visit to the
European Parliament presents the families with the
opportunity to
enlist the support of the wide range of political groupings
and
individual MEPs in the time ahead.
"In recent months it has been
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.
Speaking
today Ms de Brún said:
"I am pleased to welcome members of
the Loughinisland Justice Group to the
European Parliament today. The
group will meet with representative from all
of the political grouping
here in Brussels to update them on the case and to
enlist their
support. I will endeavour to do my very best to be of
assistance to the
families in their search for justice." ENDS