23 August 2010 - Time for answers on Claudy - Campbell
East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has said that the publishing of the Police Ombudsman’s report into the Claudy bomb on Tuesday presents an opportunity for others who have information about this act of terrorism to step forward and give it to the authorities. Commenting Mr. Campbell said,
“Only a few months ago we witnessed the Government apologising for the events in the Bogside in January 1972, this report presents the Government with an opportunity to apologise to the families of this terrorist atrocity which also occurred in 1972.
The nine families who lost loved ones in this terrorist atrocity, as well as the survivors, have not had a fraction of the investigative resources compared to the resources deployed to investigate Bloody Sunday. These families have been treated as second class victims.
This demands a Government apology.
Many questions surround this atrocity but most notably is the role of one Roman Catholic priest.
I understand James Chesney, a priest in the general area at the time of the bomb, features in the Ombudsman’s report therefore just as the Roman Catholic Church has offered to open their archives regarding Ballymurphy I hope that Cardinal Brady can now release any documentation his Church has on the events at the time and any discussions held with the then Government about James Chesney.
The allegation stands that there was a killing cleric on the loose in the North West of Northern Ireland therefore the Roman Catholic Church should open their books relating to this priest.
The truth as to why James Chesney moved from Northern Ireland shortly after the Claudy bomb should be revealed as well as why he was not arrested.
Whilst the South Londonderry brigade of the Provisional IRA deny responsibility for this bomb, questions still lie at the feet of Martin McGuinness who confessed to the Saville Tribunal as being second-in-command in Londonderry (just ten miles away) at the time of this atrocity. We need to know what information the then machine-gun McGuinness, and now Deputy First Minister, has about the Claudy bomb.
The report on the Claudy bomb is now concluded but like the victims of atrocities such as Enniskillen, Omagh, Kingsmill, Darkley, Teebane and others they are left with a bitter taste that the lives of their loved ones were secondary to those who died in the Bogside in January 1972. This report now means the demand for answers from the Government, the Roman Catholic Church and Martin McGuinness is long overdue.”
Related Media Links:
DUP.org.uk - 23 August 2010