Judith Ward Has Her Case Referred to the Court of Appeal
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On the road to freedom? Britain's claim exposed: Uncovering the Irish roots of one Judith Ward has her case why we need to campaign to of the great families of referred to the Court of Appeal repeal Article 75 English literature !• 11111111111111111111111 in 111 ii 1111111111111M11111 § § 111 * 111 • • w r i 2-SEPI991 Founded 1939 Hon: campaigning for a united and independent Ireland September 1991 union: internal education is to be developed, guidelines for raising the issue at regional and national TUCs produced and links forged at every level with NALGO's sister unions - NIPSA in the north, LGPSU in the south. But while the NALGO resolution is a model attempt to advance pre- viously existing policy, the TGWU resolution shows what can be done in a union which has fought Turn to page 2 U1LDING I site bosses •K whose ne- •fgligence Rl^r causes work- place deaths should face police investiga- tions and manslaughter charges according to the big- gest construction workers' union, UCATT. Last month the union announced it was seeking a meeting with police chiefs to discuss much tougher action following work- place deaths, including-im- prisonment of SB Mzw 'v. NEWS NEWS Trade unions must taride Ireland Innocent victim Peace Train job with Chipperfields circus. those who dare voice dissent bomb-planter". She of course concerning the M62 bombing. PETER MULUGAN examines She left them on 5 February against Britain's policy in Ire- denied the contents of her en- The prosecution also added From page 1 development and transport 1974 to stay with friends in land. She was putty in the forced "confession" and bombings on the National shy of adopting policy beyond infrastructure integration. A ; the case of Judith Ward, the latest London. On 14 February she hands of her interrogators and proved, with ample witnesses, Defence College at Latimer, support for trade union anti- similar resolution is likely to left London to travel to Belfast admitted that that she was Bucks, and on Euston Station off the rails but like many before she was sectarian initiatives for de- find its way onto the final she planted the working at based on the evidence of Dr cades. • ; The four-page agenda of next month's La- victim of a miscarriage of justice destined never to reach her bomb that blew Chipperfields Frank Skuse, the state forensic composite defeated all expec- bour Party conference. tion. She was-arrested Up the coach. She was circus over 200 scientist whose now dis- tations - not least those of the A second composite was to have her case referred to the Tney wrote the miles from the credited conclusions helped to Irish Democrat - when union ac- also passed reaffirming the Eleven days previously on script she convicted scene. The pros- convict the Birmingham Six. tivists secured the support of union's support for Region 11 3 February, a bomb on a coach signed. There is ecution then In an atmosphere of trium- Appeal Court travelling on the M62 ex- some evidence HE Peace Train people, Families Against In- Irish regional secretary John policy: "it must become ob- moved the goal- phant jingoism Judith Ward ploded killing 12 army largely by timidation and Terror (FAIT), and other anti- Freeman and thus ensured the vious to all clear thinking that she was posts and was jailed for life in November personnel including two IRA groups are in danger of going the way resolution was passed. people that the only way for- mentally un- her own claimed that she 1974. After many tortuous T ward is the end of violence, UDITH WARD was born land which affected every children. The IRA claimed re- stable at this did not plant of the Peace People of the 1970s - of being seen as "Conference believes that years as a top security in Stockport, Cheshire in fronts or pawns for the British government. the only means by which a divisions between' working teenager who claimed* to have sppnsibility and the hunt was time. the bomb but prisoner in Durham she has 1949. After leaving school a moral conscience; Like many- on for a culprit. Picking on rambling Recently Brian iVfawhinney, Minister in the British government can help people and an opportunity to J The trial took delivered it for been moved to London as a she joined the WRAC others during the civil rights Judith Ward travelling to Bel- place in Novem- Northern Ireland Office, said in a tribute in the create a just and peaceful envi- restore peace, work and pro- "confessions' others to plant. Category 'B' which is an indi- gress." (Women's Royal Army Corp). demonstrations in Northern fast was an easy option. ber 1974 andrHMBHB House of Commons to the organisers of the Bel- ronment for the people of the •••••• Additional cation that even the prison whole island of Ireland is to But if the Labour Party She did not fit in and in 1966 Ireland she certainly was not The police knew she was a was a farce typi- charges were service regard her as innocent. fast-Dublin-London Peace Train: "I have been pursue a political programme forms t ie next government , she went to Ireland to work as immune. According to British member of Sinn Fein. They cal of its kind. Ward was port- added but no material proof Judith Ward, HM Prison able to put my money where my mouth - and my of measures which will lead to and if ics Irish commitments a stable girl. She remained in intelligence she joined Sinn also knew she had demon- rayed by the state prosecution was presented. Holloway, Parkhurst Road, pen - would normally be. I have responsibility a united Ireland," the union's are to be honoured, there Ireland for nearly seven years Fein. strated ;for civil rights. She as "a gun-runner, intelligence Judith Ward was convicted London N7. Her prison num- for the Northern Ireland Committee for Com- biennial delegate conference needs to be built over the com- absorbing the news of the trau- She returned to England in suffered the standard intens- officer, bomb-carrier, bomb- largely on her own rambling ber is 994466 and should be munity Relations. This has to date provided agreed. It called for "a pro- ing months and into the first matic turmoil in Northern Ire- August 1973 where she got a ive interrogation reserved for maker and even uncorroborated "confessions" stated on correspondence. £8,500 for the funding of the Peace Train move- gressive demilitarisation of years of office an informed ment." the conflict" and committed constituency within Labour's And Mawhinney promised further funds in fu- the union to campaigning for trade union heartland able to ture. He also told the House: "We are happy to an end to a whole series of civil articulate the case for Irish say that we have agreed to provide a seeding liberties abuses. It further tied unity and independence. It's a grant to Families Against Intimidation and Terror a future Labour government top priority task. to enable it to prepare a strategy for its future de- to working by negotiation and That is why the Connolly co-operation with the Dublin velopment." Association is doing all that it government "to achieve pro- can to help ensure the success- It view of this British Government money it,is gressive, social and economic ful organisation of a new trade doubtful if the "strategy" of these bodies will integration within Ireland", union network on Ireland: If s have any place for criticism of violence or with the construction of a not going to be easy - the Bel- breaches of human rights by the Government o: single development agency, a fast MSF office has already JUSTICE has proved elusive for Dessie Ellis, security forces in the North. single job creation organisa- received its first death threat extradited on charges of conspiring to cause explo- Some Peace Train participants certainly have tion, a joint approach to the as a result of the conference sions and possession of explosives. Despite assuran- curious qualifications as peace advocates. They European single market, a resolution passed this year ces to his family from Taoiseach Charles Haughey that include Ken Maginnis of the UUP and Nigel joint agriculture development And it's going to take time - he would receive a fair trial, Ellis faces the same sort Dodds of the DUP, both of whom have publicly' •JOHN FREEMAN: his support secured victory for the Irish plan, financial and taxation but there are no short cuts; and of charade the Winchester Three did. supported shoot-to-kill actions of the SAS and unK/resolution Pic: Martin Jenkinson harmonisation, joint tourist there's nowhere else I When a magistrate refused to commit him for trial on British Anqy. After the killing of two republicans i i! • the charges on which he was extradited, he should ry in Co Tyrone two years ago, Mr Maginnis called have gone free. Instead, a complicated legal tangle for more killings, saying that "two swallows kept him in prison until Judge Swinton-Th'omas - the don't make a summer". And Mr Dodds issued a Winchester trial judge • agreed to try him on the Bring btMint bosses to book original charges. traditional Orange Unionism of refutation than by referring blood-curdling call at this year's DUP conference BOBBIE has become Increasingly ir- back to the nation-building ac- "to fill the cemeteries with dead republicans." What of the fair trial promised by Mr Hsughey? • Location: London hss been affected by many of the relevant. In order to make it tivity of the United irishmen The British government is funding these From page 1 eting in the building industry, plaining about safely condi- despite two of its employees events of the IRA campaign In Britain.