The secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists: MP attacks ... secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists_ MP... · 5/5/2014 The secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists: MP attacks 'cover-up

5/5/2014 The secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists: MP attacks 'cover-up' after it's revealed 365 people have been given amnesties in Northern Ireland since 1979 | …

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2619221/The-secret-royal-pardons-IRA-terrorists-MP-attacks-cover-revealed-365-people-given-amnesties-Northern-Irel… 1/7

SHARE SELECTION

The secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists: MPattacks 'cover-up' after it's revealed 365 peoplehave been given amnesties in Northern Irelandsince 1979

True total 'much higher' as records for 1987 and 1997 have gone missingNumber 'have been handed to loyalist and republican ‘super-grasses’'Bulk of cases are non-terrorism related and predate the peace process

By James Chapman

Published: 23:22 GMT, 2 May 2014 | Updated: 23:22 GMT, 2 May 2014

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=James+Chapman



SHARE PICTURE

Copy link to paste in your message

+2

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers revealed that the royal prerogative of

mercy was exercised in the province at least 365 times between 1979 and 2002



IRA terrorists were among hundreds of people in Northern Ireland to receive royal pardons signed by theQueen, MPs were told yesterday.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers revealed that the royal prerogative of mercy was exercised in theprovince at least 365 times between 1979 and 2002.

The true total will be much higher, since the Northern Ireland Office claims records for the ten-year periodbetween 1987 and 1997 have gone missing.

Critics now say there appears to have been a ‘cover-up’ over the use of amnesties, issued by the Queen onthe advice of ministers. The bulk of the cases – 347 – from the period 1979 to 1986 are non-terrorism relatedand predate the peace process.

A number are thought to have been handed to loyalist and republican ‘super-grasses’ who gave key evidenceat court cases during the Troubles.

However, it is believed that around 10 per cent of the earlier pardons – and the majority of those issued underTony Blair’s government between 1997 and 2002 – did relate to terror offences.

In this period, royal pardons were granted to escaped IRA terrorists as part of the Northern Ireland peacedeal. Among those to benefit were Angelo Fusco, Paul Patrick Magee and Robert Campbell who wereconvicted for their part in the murder of SAS Captain Herbert Westmacott but were among a group whoescaped from a north Belfast jail in June 1981.

Former Labour minister Kate Hoey, who uncovered the pardon figures via Parliamentary questions, suggestedthe Queen had been put in an ‘invidious’ position. ‘I want to know who all these people are. I think that thepublic will want to know,’ she said.

She asked why the pardons had apparently not been listed in official government journals, the Belfast Gazetteor the London Gazette, as would normally be the case.

Miss Hoey also insisted that the Government must explain how a decade of records covering a key period,during which John Major’s administration was advancing the peace process, could have vanished.



SHARE PICTURE

Copy link to paste in your message

+2

Among those to benefit were Angelo Fusco (pictured), Paul Patrick Magee and

Robert Campbell who were convicted for their part in the murder of SAS Captain

Herbert Westmacott but were among a group who escaped from a north Belfast jail

in June 1981

‘There was clearly a cover-up. How can records not be found on something that the Queen has to sign off?’she said.

Former Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay, an expert in Northern Irish politics, added: ‘It would be laughed at like aCarry On film were the scale of the incompetence and the gravity of the cover-up not so serious. Why werethe records lost? Who “lost” them?’



Click to rate

Click to rate

Click to rate

Click to rate

The Northern Ireland Office said the figures related to decisions taken under previous governments and saidno amnesties have been issued by the current administration.

Comments (105)

Share what you think

Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated

View all

jodaco, woking, United Kingdom, 2 days ago

It's all about who you know.

Reply New Comment New

4177

mike, folkestone, United Kingdom, 2 days ago

Wasn't a bloke by the name of Blair involved in all this? One of his 'triumphs'?


10393

EthanEdwards, North Sea Zone EUSSR, United Kingdom, 2 days ago

Secret because the politicians know the people they claim to represent would not accept the granting of these pardons. So theydo what we dont want. Lie about it, conceal things and then wonder why we don't trust them? Lets send them a message Voteukip you know they all fear it. Ukip.


12316

norman miles, gloucester, United Kingdom, 2 days ago

And just what was on offer to the victims of these atrocities who had their loved ones snatched from their homes andexecuted,or is that another secret.


8269

jose antonio, london, United Kingdom, 2 days ago

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/registration/4697421/jodaco/profile.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/registration/2860131/mike/profile.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/registration/1364819330184971/EthanEdwards/profile.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/registration/2387155/norman-miles/profile.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/registration/1375050046453423/jose-antonio/profile.html

Documents

The secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists: MP attacks ... secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists_ MP... · 5/5/2014 The secret royal pardons for IRA terrorists: MP attacks 'cover-up