Police Service of Northern Ireland apology over 1971 interrogations too little too late

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; Irish: Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann) has apologised to the 'Hooded Men' over their treatment under interrogation in 1971. The 14 men were arrested during internment without trial and questioned by the police and the Army and due to their method of torture became known as the 'Hooded Men'. The UK Supreme Court ruled several years ago that the methods used on them at the time amounted to torture by today's standards. The British army was responsible for picking up the men, although it was police officers who carried out the interrogation.

During their detention, the men described being forced to listen to constant loud static noise; deprived of sleep, food and water; forced to stand in stress positions; and beaten if they fell. The men also said they were hooded and thrown from helicopters a short distance off the ground, having been told they were hundreds of feet in the air. The public apology came a day after the death of one of the men, Joe Clarke, at the age of 71. One of the "Hooded Men", Michael Donnelly from Derry, has said he does not accept a police apology over his treatment. He told Radio Foyle that the apology is "50 years too late" for him and he said that it personally feels "fairly meaningless". He went on to say "I do not accept it - not at all."

The Hooded Men were: Pat Shivers, Seán McKenna, Gerard McKerr, PJ McClean, Joe Clarke, Jim Auld, Michael Donnelly, Kevin Hannaway, Francis McGuigan, Patrick McNally, Michael Montgomery, Davy Rodgers, Liam Shannon and Brian Turley. Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) in their programme RTÉ Investigates had previously investigated the incident. British national archive records showed the state-sanctioned and systematic nature of the operation. The process was codenamed Operation Calaba; it took place in a purpose-built unit at Ballykelly air base, near Derry, and it was controlled and overseen by a team of 15 members of the British Joint Services Intelligence Wing (JSIW), with the RUC Special Branch tasked to carry out much of the 'in depth interrogation'. The unit had an Operations Room, from where the treatment was monitored, and its own Standing Orders. It was designed following training of selected RUC Special Branch personnel at the Joint Services Intelligence Wing base, in Ashford, Kent.

Image: Seven of the 14 'Hooded Men' image courtesy of RTÉ