Release Garda Files on Kingsmill Call

This news published by the Celtic League:

Release Garda Files on Kingsmill Call

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League, in the wake of last weeks BBC Panorama on collusion between the British security forces and paramilitaries, earlier today wrote to Secretary of State Theresa Villiers MP urging for all files on this dark period to be opened.

Later today we learned (via an article in the Irish Times) that it was not just the United Kingdom who are obsfucating but also the Garda who seem reluctant to release files they compiled on the 1976 Kingsmill massacre in Co. Armagh.

We have urged An Taoiseach, who had given a pledge to Kingsmill massacre survivor Alan Black and relatives of those who died, to ensure that pledge is honoured.

A release of the Garda files will pile more pressure on the British to also reveal all their squalid secrets on this murky period.

One of the most startling revelations in the Panorama programme last week was the UK may have had a hand in killings on both sides of the sectarian divide.

Correspondence below plus link Irish Times article (01/06/15):

“An Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny, TD
Department of the Taoiseach
Government Buildings
Upper Merrion Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

1st June 2015

Dear Taoiseach,

I wrote earlier today to the United Kingdom Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers MP, regarding last weeks BBC (NI) Panorama programme and the quite shocking revelations about collusion between British security forces and paramilitaries.

I pointed out that the United Kingdom governments refusal to release files which could, after all these years, ensure that those many people who still are searching for justice could get some closure was unacceptable.

I urged Ms Villiers to use her time as Secretary of State to ensure that the veil of secrecy that has surrounded murders and bombings on both sides of the Irish border over three decades was lifted and pressed for more files on this dark period to be released.

Having made that request to the British government you can imagine my surprise when I read today’s article in the Irish Times entitled:

‘Kenny criticised over failure to hand over Kingsmill Files’

The Kingsmill massacre was one of the most cold blooded killings in the 1970s involving the murder of 10 textile Protestant workers (and the attempted murder of one other: Alan Black).
Kingsmill featured on last weeks Panorama and I feel sure that many were moved by the impact the crime still has on Mr Black who was interviewed together with a relative of one of the other victims of the crime.

In the same way that Theresa Villiers and the British should not obfuscate over data release the Irish government should do likewise.

The Irish Times article refers to a commitment that you gave some months ago I do trust this will be honoured.

Yours sincerely,

J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information”

Link to Irish Times article:

KENNY CRITICISED OVER FAILURE TO HAND OVER KINGSMILL FILES

J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League

01/06/15

(Please note that replies to correspondence received by the League and posted on CL News are usually scanned hard copies. Obviously every effort is made to ensure the scanning process is accurate but sometimes errors do occur.)

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