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29 November 2005
Sinn Féin murder shock horror
Not before time, Northern Ireland police have arrested four republicans for the 1972 Claudy bombing that killed young and old, prod and taig alike. James Simmons wrote a short simple powerful poem about the bombing. Not too long ago, Kieran Healy posted the text, which you may read in the CT archives.
One of the arrested is Francis Brolly, a Sinn Féin man and member of the East Londonderry local assembly. SF leader Martin McGuinness complains that Brolly's arrest was 'politically motivated' and has demanded his immediate release. It's a concept that sociopaths cannot understand, of course, but less depraved people may accept that the arrest of Brolly and his comrades is motivated not by 'politics' but by the importance of punishing murderers, however tardily.
What Brolly & Co. need is not 'immediate release' but a fair trial, which is more than the IRA gave the victims at Claudy. If the state can't prove their guilt, then they should be released. If it can, they should be swallowed up by prison walls until they are dead. Sadly, it won't be possible to try a fifth alleged conspirator, Fr James Chesney, whom the RC church's head in Ireland is believed to have sent to safety across the border and who died before he could face charges.
The Economist has an interesting piece this week (behind a paywall, alas; mustn't encourage free riders) about the spectre of Sinn Féin haunting politics in the south. Politicians are right to be haunted by Sinn Féin. The Republic should spare no pains in keeping this British cancer from metastasising any farther into its territory.
Posted by Mrs Tilton at 06:49 PM | Permalink
Comments
"British cancer"?! That's a bit harsh. All of Sinn Fein/IRA's roots and succour lie in the Republic and if the authorities there had been a tad more helpful in the last 30 years, we, the Brits, might not have lost the war. It will provide me with a grim chuckle of satisfaction if SF/IRA do indeed sink their fangs into the body politic of Eire, always good to see the biter bit!
Posted by: David Duff at 1 Dec 2005 23:54:14
All of SF/IRA's roots and succour lie in the Republic? Oh, I don't think so, David. (Indeed I'm rather surprised to see you buying into this fundamental bit of republican theology; though to a real republican, of course, 'The Republic' exists only in a Platonic realm of ideas.) Sorry, but this lot are your SF/IRA. We defeated our version over 80 years ago.
You're right that the government of the Republic might, at times, have been more helpful. Quite apart from it being the right thing to do, Ireland itself has an important interest in combatting the modern republican movement. (BTW, it hasn't been all a matter of putting stumbling-blocks before the feet of your security forces either, you know.) More importantly, that there was a 'war' (if you want to call it that; I wouldn't) at all is in no small measure down to the unwisdom of British governments past.
But don't be too hard on the UK. You didn't lose the 'war'. The IRA have surrendered; your lot merely allowed them terms far too generous. Apparently Westminster isn't that terribly bothered by the existence of an IRA, as long as they confine themselves to the role of provincial mafiosi.
Posted by: Mrs Tilton at 2 Dec 2005 12:04:54
