Boston College tapes unlikely to lead Adams to gaol but suggest any truth process is pointless

The arrest and charging of Ivor Bell has been covered already on Slugger and below Mick has mentioned the fact that Gerry Adams has made himself available to questioning by the PSNI. Although the McConville family remain hopeful many have suggested that it is inconceivable that Adams will be prosecuted. Adams has repeatedly denied that he had anything to do with Jean McConville’s murder just as he has denied that he was ever in the IRA. He has also claimed …

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Regrettable lacuna – a missing voice at the Smithwick tribunal

The Smithwick tribunal will probably be the last of its kind – a PR campaign against excessive fees, discontent with the slow pace of investigations, and a lack of political will mean future scandals will be investigated by inquiries and commissions, but never again though a public tribunal of inquiry. Smithwick is the Cinderella of Irish tribunals. It didn’t help that it spent its first five years working in private, negotiating the tricky business of encouraging non-compellable witnesses from Northern …

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Victims and an Amnesty

From the UTV Report last night we are told that a Truth Commission is “actively back on the Agenda”. Its hard not to conclude that we are being softened up to be prepared for an announcement, the draft of which is possibly known in British and Irish Government circles and the Conflict Resolutionists (with a degree of special pleading) who advise them. Three Victims Groups had spokespersons in the Report……WAVE Trauma Centre, Relatives for Justice and a Mr McAvoy an …

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“Trading truth for justice is a tough call.”

In the Belfast Telegraph Liam Clarke considers, at face value, the “absurd” and “disingenuous” Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ call for an independent, international, truth commission.  From the Belfast Telegraph article Trading truth for justice is a tough call. In this case, a lot will depend on the quality of the information given by the IRA members. In the case of the Disappeared, the evidence came long after the deaths, but many people will consider the trade-off worthwhile because it allowed …

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