Sean Mackin Story by Brian Mor O'baoighill Pg
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r*» PEOPLE 7/ c oj irish Republicanism in America JUNE 2, 1990 VOL. 17 NO. 19 50 CENTS 2 MEITHEAMH 1990 IMLEABHAR 17 UIMHIR 19 Show Trial Continues in Boston By Daithi O h-Oisin A secret agreement for international prosecution is the latest tactic of the Bush administration in the trial of Richard Johnson and three co-defendents, now in its fourth week at Boston's Federal Court. After importing a British Army colonel last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Stearns called on a Special Branch Inspector from Dublin and an RUC constable as prosecution witnesses. Gardai Inspector Dermot Jennings testified on Wednesday that he had not yet been promoted from detective sergeant when he found the Clondalkin letters in Peter Maguire's garage during Operation Mallard in October 1987. The operation was a nationwide search of 50,000 homes throughout the 26 counties. Stearns led Jennings through rambling testimony connecting indictee Pe The Stevens Report into incidents of ter Maguire to Dessie Ellis as an "associate". When asked if he personally British crown forces colluding with loyalist knew Ellis, Jennings pompously replied: "I can claim that privilege," and paramilitaries has received scant attention admitted to being a witness at Ellis' extradition trial in Dublin. But when since its publication last week. Like so Stearns next asked him his view of Sinn Fein as the political wing of the IRA, many previous inquiries carried out by vociferous defense objections to personal opinion being stated as knowledge senior British judges and police officers, it caused Judge Mazzone to excuse the jury while a bench conference was held. has been used to whitewash the facts and Predictably, Mazzone again overruled the defense and allowed the question. provide a breathing-space for the British Jennings was obviously ill at ease as he claimed that 12 years investigating government until the latest scandal over its Sinn Fein and the IRA gave him an informed opinion, but he could cite no dirty war in the Six Counties has blown hard evidence in support. over. Continued on page 6 Continued on page 5 Inside: Mike Sheehan Tribute The Sean Mackin Story by Brian Mor O'Baoighill Pg. 10-11 pg. 6 JUNE 2, 1990 IRELAND UNITED GAELIC AND FREE PAGE 2 Editorial VMtTkWASH \JOHT|jSTbP t£AKS NIGS "HMfcT [ to RMS auT Stevens Cover-Up T^AT MACKWS Eight months ago John Stevens was given the task of investigating assertions that loyalist paramilitary groups had links with members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the army and the Ulster Defense Regiment. There had never been any doubt about the fact that these groups had secret files in their possession. The Stevens inquiry, it was hoped, would expose the extent of such links. ..LOY-AUSJ.jr';: LEASES The findings of the Stevens team was published in Belfast on May 17. "I have been able to draw the firm conclusion," Stevens is quoted as saying, "that members of the security forces have passed informa tion to paramilitaries. However, I must make it clear it is restricted to a small number of individuals who have gravely abused their positions MMM - Mfl M <:•"-:•-— 'v*»>::-*~* of trust. This abuse is not widespread or institutionalized." This summary of the report will do little to reassure nationalists in the north of Ireland. It simply follows the pattern, as have many others, TO: All Units of Irish Northern Aid set by the Cameron inquiry into the disturbances of 1968 and early 1969. That report condemned the minority grievances which had The Irish People newspaper has recently updated its equipment already been well publicized in the world press. The damage done was contained as much as possible by applying the "Few bad apples" and procedures. Many new features have been incorporated into the principle. Stevens, a la Cameron, has condemned the indefensible and paper, including a Community Events column. contained the damage by limiting blame to "a small number of The Irish People is circulated throughout the United States. People individuals." with a genuine interest in what is really going on look to us to provide Now that the report, disappointing as it is, has been published, what can we expect as a sequel? Security personnel in Ireland seem to be them with information. immune from prosecution. The authors of the Cobden Trust study, We are asking for your help. We would like you to inform us of your Law and State: The Case of Northern Ireland, commenting on the meetings and upcoming events for publication in our Community failure of inquiries, note, page 128: "Finally, and perhaps most Events column. You can reach people in your area through us. important, was the fact that no action was taken to deal with those cases in which the various reports found the security forces or individual Please send us your notices as soon as possible before the event to st )k liers or policemen to have been seriously at fault." What will be done ensure publication. There is no charge for insertion in the Community about the Stevens Report? Not much, if the pattern of previous Events column. Display advertising rates are available on request. inquiries and tribunals is followed. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Two other factors are common to all British inquiries into the conduct of security personnel in Ireland. All the tribunals and commit Patricia Mac Bride tees were composed of Englishmen who could hardly be considered Assistant Editor. neutral in such investigations. As was noted in the case of the Compton committee, if justice is to be seen to be done, the Chairman, at least Subscription: $25 per year should be a non-British jurist of international renown. The British establishment has not a good track record in inquiries even when Irish men or women are not involved. Following the Please send Denning report into the "Profumo Affair," an English Royal Commis sion of Tribunals was presided over by Lord Justice Salmon. Guidelines The Irish People were laid down for the conduct of future tribunals and one of these stipulated that all such inquiries should be conducted in public. All the inquiries in Ireland contravened this guideline. And all, including the for One Year to: Stevens Inquiry, vindicated Salmon's prediction when he wrote: "Any government which in the future adopts this procedure (of non-public Inquiries) will lay itself open to the suspicion that it wishes the truth to be hidden from the light of day." Name: Address: The Irish People City: Board of Directors: James Grogan, Gerry Coleman, Martin Webster Business & Operations Manager: Martin Webster State: Zip: Editor: Fr. Maurice Burke SMA Managing Editor: John McDonagh Senior Editorial Consultant: Martin Galvin Assistant Editor: Patricia MacBride Telephone: Editorial Board: Fr. Maurice Burke SMA. John McDonagh, Larry Quinn. Michael Shanley. Martin Galvin, Patricia MacBride. Gerry Coleman us Copy Editors: Mary Lawson. Liam O'Keefe Canada Staff Photographer: Arlenc W Advertising Manager: Martha McElhone Tin- Irish People newspaper (IS I 770) is published weekly (except 1 Year $25 1 Year $33 the last wed in March and the tnst week m April) bv the Irish People Inc.. 4c\ril Broadway, New York, NY 10034 Second Class pottage paid al New York,NY. Annua: n rat*.' • in the United State*, $30 • tan. Please Mail to: Telephone 212-567-1611, Fax 212-567-2266 Postmaster: please send change of address to the following address: The Irish People The Irish People 4951 Broadway 4951 Broadway New York, NY 10034 New York, NY 10034 JUNE 2, 1990 IRELAND UNITED GAELIC AND FREE PAGE 3 Daring Attack in Derry The RUC man was among a group of condition of the soldier who the attack. crown forces personnel inside a perma was injured when the gre nent security barrier close to the city's nade exploded is not COOKSTOWN Strand Road RUC headquarters at 11pm, known. when an IRA ASU which had penetrated An RUC man escaped death in the area, opened fire on them. CLOGHER ATTACK Cookstown, County Tyrone, on Mon- In their statement on the operation, di\\j. May 21st, when he discovered a the IRA's Derry Brigade said: RUC personnel had a booby-trap bomb attached to the under "At 11.10pm two ASUs under our narrow escape in the side of his vehicle command combined to yet again attack Clogher area of County The bomb was discovered at 7am the RUC in their heavily fortified Strand Tyrone when the armoured under the man's car in Stewart Avenue, Road headquarters. vehicle in which they were Cookstown, and for several hours British "One ASU armed with high powered travelling was struck by a bomb technicians worked to defuse the rifles secured an area around the RUC rocket warhead which HQ, to allow a second ASU to enter into embedded itself in the the barrier zone. This ASU fired over 70 armour plating but failed to BOMBS DEFUSED rounds at several RUC hitting and criti explode. cally wounding one of them. As this ASU The attack came on In statements issued to the media, the withdrew, covering fire was directed at Wednesday evening. May IRA in counties Tyrone and Armagh the base and fortified barriers by the first 16th. An ASU of the Ty claimed lh.it they had been forced to ASU. All Volunteers returned safely to rone Brigade armed with a abandon bombs at the Middletown Road base." rocket and high powered in Armagh, and at Moy Bridge and in Turf Lodge, West Belfast, on Monday rifles, engaged the RUC as Rennaderry Road in County Tyrone. BELFAST ATTACK evening, May 21st.