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Loughgall IRA death inquests to be decided by advocate general Loughgall IRA death inquests to be decided by advocate general
(about 3 hours later)
The government has appointed an independent law officer to decide if there will be public inquests into how the SAS killed eight of the IRA's most ruthless activists in a terror attack that changed the course of the Troubles.The government has appointed an independent law officer to decide if there will be public inquests into how the SAS killed eight of the IRA's most ruthless activists in a terror attack that changed the course of the Troubles.
The Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, has called on the advocate general for Northern Ireland to determine if inquests will be held and what sensitive material can be disclosed to any hearings in connection to the 1987 Loughgall shootings. The Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, has called on the advocate general for the region to determine if inquests will be held and what sensitive material can be disclosed to any hearings in connection to the 1987 Loughgall shootings.
Eight of the Provisional IRA's top activists were killed – the largest loss of life for the republican movement in the history of Northern Ireland's Troubles. Those who were shot dead in the ambush became known in republican circles as "the Loughgall martyrs", after the largely Protestant village in County Armagh where they died on 8 May 1987. Eight of the Provisional IRA's top activists were killed in the largest loss of life for the republican movement in the history of Northern Ireland's Troubles. Those who were shot dead in the ambush became known in republican circles as the Loughgall martyrs, after the largely Protestant village in County Armagh where they died on 8 May 1987.
The Northern Ireland Office confirmed on Friday that Villiers had written to the region's attorney general (AGNI), John Larkin, informing him that she had asked the advocate general, Jeremy Wright QC, to examine the possibility of an inquests into the IRA deaths and the killing of a civilian builder in the crossfire. The Northern Ireland Office confirmed on Friday that Villiers had written to the region's attorney general (AGNI), John Larkin, informing him that she had asked the advocate general, Jeremy Wright QC, to examine the possibility of inquests into the IRA deaths and the killing of a civilian builder in the crossfire.
An NIO spokesman said it was untrue that Villiers was blocking any moves towards holding inquests. He said such reports did "not accurately represent the secretary of state's role in this process. The effect of the legislation, and the role of the secretary of state, is simply to make sure that the appropriate law officer is able to take the decision, with all of the information available, independent of government."An NIO spokesman said it was untrue that Villiers was blocking any moves towards holding inquests. He said such reports did "not accurately represent the secretary of state's role in this process. The effect of the legislation, and the role of the secretary of state, is simply to make sure that the appropriate law officer is able to take the decision, with all of the information available, independent of government."
He added: "The advocate general is an independent law officer in the same way as the AGNI: he will make a decision independent of government. All of the options available to the AGNI will be available to the advocate general, including a decision to direct that an inquest should be held. The secretary of state's decision in no way reflects a lack of trust in the role of the attorney general for Northern Ireland."He added: "The advocate general is an independent law officer in the same way as the AGNI: he will make a decision independent of government. All of the options available to the AGNI will be available to the advocate general, including a decision to direct that an inquest should be held. The secretary of state's decision in no way reflects a lack of trust in the role of the attorney general for Northern Ireland."
The attorney general for the region requested the new inquests after the European court of human rights in Strasbourg found the men's rights had been violated. The attorney general requested the new inquests after the European court of human rights in Strasbourg found the men's rights had been violated.
More than 1,000 rounds of ammunition were fired at the IRA unit which was attempting to destroy Loughgall police station with a bomb hidden inside a digger.More than 1,000 rounds of ammunition were fired at the IRA unit which was attempting to destroy Loughgall police station with a bomb hidden inside a digger.
SAS soldiers and specially trained Royal Ulster Constabulary firearms officers were themselves hidden around the station in a D-shaped formation from where they entrapped and subsequently killed key personnel from the Provisional's East Tyrone brigade. SAS soldiers and specially trained Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) firearms officers were hidden around the station in a D-shaped formation from where they entrapped and subsequently killed key personnel from the Provisional's East Tyrone brigade.
Two Sinn Féin councillors, Jim Lynagh and Padraig McKearney, along with six fellow IRA activists – Gerard O'Callaghan, 29, Tony Gormley, 25, Eugene Kelly, 25, Patrick Kelly, 30, Seamus Donnelly, 19, and Declan Arthurs, 21 – were shot dead. Anthony Hughes, 36, who was wearing a boiler suit similar to those donned by the IRA unit, was killed when he accidentally drove into the ambush.Two Sinn Féin councillors, Jim Lynagh and Padraig McKearney, along with six fellow IRA activists – Gerard O'Callaghan, 29, Tony Gormley, 25, Eugene Kelly, 25, Patrick Kelly, 30, Seamus Donnelly, 19, and Declan Arthurs, 21 – were shot dead. Anthony Hughes, 36, who was wearing a boiler suit similar to those donned by the IRA unit, was killed when he accidentally drove into the ambush.
Thirty-six SAS soldiers using a variety of weapons, including heavy machine guns and Heckler and Koch light machine guns, were involved in the operation. When they and their RUC counterparts returned to their base at the Mahon Road army barracks in nearby Portadown, they celebrated with champagne.Thirty-six SAS soldiers using a variety of weapons, including heavy machine guns and Heckler and Koch light machine guns, were involved in the operation. When they and their RUC counterparts returned to their base at the Mahon Road army barracks in nearby Portadown, they celebrated with champagne.
The Loughgall IRA dead had been planning to break away from the Provisionals and form a rival armed republican force, according to Ed Moloney in his book A Secret History of the IRA. He has argued that the killings prevented the creation of a hardline force that would oppose future compromises, such as the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and the de facto recognition of the partition of Ireland in the 1998 Good Friday agreement.The Loughgall IRA dead had been planning to break away from the Provisionals and form a rival armed republican force, according to Ed Moloney in his book A Secret History of the IRA. He has argued that the killings prevented the creation of a hardline force that would oppose future compromises, such as the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and the de facto recognition of the partition of Ireland in the 1998 Good Friday agreement.
There are ongoing concerns within security circles that any open inquests into the 1987 shootings may expose informers and agents on both sides of the Irish border who helped compromise Lynagh's planned attack on Loughgall. There are concerns within security circles that any open inquests into the shootings may expose informers and agents on both sides of the Irish border who helped compromise Lynagh's planned attack on Loughgall.