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Maginness welcomes withdrawal of McGurks Bar report

SDLP Justice Spokesperson Alban Maginness welcomed Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson’s withdrawal of his report into the 1971 bombing of McGurk’s Bar pending consultations with the victims’ families.

Fri 9th July

He said: “Besides the brutal murder of 15 people, the bombing of McGurk’s Bar stands out because of the horrific way it was deliberately turned into a black propaganda opportunity. The families are right to point out that the report does not fully confront that reality or the full role of the RUC in permitting or facilitating that blatant lie, which caused deep hurt and suffering to them for many years.
 
“While the RUC didn’t instigate the deception according to the report, they had every opportunity to refute allegations of an IRA ‘own goal’ and they failed to do so for reasons which we do not know, but should know. The RUC’s behavior was deplorable and it would be positive if the final report reflected this better. If they had challenged the military’s version, it would have avoided a lot of suffering and hurt the families endured.
 
“It is now necessary for the Prime Minister to apologise directly to the families for the monumental act of deceit. There has been an apology before in relation to circumstances surrounding this event before, but this significant report with all these details demands a reiteration on the part of the British government of its rejection of the claims and its acceptance that the military was fully at fault.”

Alban Maginness

Alban Maginness MLA, Assembly

Email a.maginness@sdlp.ie
Tel 028 9022 0520

Press Office

Tel 028 90 52 1837

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