CONGELATI I BENI DI UN NOTO ESPONENTE DELL’IRA
La High Court ha stabilito il congelamento dei beni di Sean Gerard Hughes e consorte, per sospetto riciclaggio di denaro
Sean Gerard Hughes, giudicato dalla House of Commons come uno dei più spietati killer dell’IRA, si è visto congelare le proprie proprietà e i conti bancari per sospetto riciclaggio di denaro.
Stessa sorte è toccata anche alla moglie Annette.
Il Serious Organised Crime Agency ritiene che le proprietà siano il risultato di riciclaggio dei proventi derivatin da frodi ipotecarie, evasione e frode fiscale.
La decisione presa dalla High Court di Belfast è stata duramente contestata da Conor Murphy del Sinn Fein.
“Sean Hughes è un noto repubblicana. Egli ha trascorso la sua vita adulta impegnandosi nella lotta per l’unità e l’indipendenza irlandese”.
“Ha sostenuto il processo di pace e la campagna per porre fine alla politica della polizia. Ci sono stati numerosi tentativi nel corso degli anni di calunniare il personaggio di Sean.”
“I raid di oggi a casa di Sean e di alcuni suoi parenti hanno provocato una profonda rabbia nel South Armagh. Non vi è alcuna giustificazione per bersagliato oggi deliberatamente, Sean e la sua famiglia.
“Sean è stato accusato di nulla. Così come alcun membro della sua famiglia. E’ inaccettabile”.
Republican’s assets frozen by High Court (NewsLetter)
A man accused in the House of Commons of being one of the IRA’s most ruthless killers has had his properties seized for suspected money laundering.
The High Court in Belfast granted an order freezing assets held by Sean Gerard Hughes and his wife, Annette, from south Armagh.
The Serious and Organised Crime Agency alleged his properties were the result of laundering the proceeds of mortgage fraud, tax evasion and benefit fraud.
Alleged IRA killer’s assets seized (U TV)
The assets of a south Armagh man, who was accused in the House of Commons of being one of the IRA’s most ruthless killers, has had his assets seized by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
SOCA has been granted a court order to take control of properties and bank accounts belonging to Sean Gerard Hughes of Aghadavoyle Road, Drumintee.
East Belfast DUP MP and now party leader Peter Robinson used parliamentary privilege in December 2002 to link Hughes to the South Quay bombing at London’s Canary Wharf in 1996, which killed two people and brought the previous IRA ceasefire to an end.
He said Hughes was also responsible for the murder of 12 soldiers at Warrenpoint, Co Down, a mortar bomb in Newry, Co Down, and the killing of Lord Chief Justice Maurice Gibson and his wife Cecily in 1987.
He said Hughes was the most “ruthless killer and thug” in the ranks of the IRA.
Sean Hughes has denied being a member of the IRA Army Council.
The agency claimed the assets came from laundering the proceeds of mortgage fraud, tax evasion and benefit fraud.
The assets frozen include eight houses in south Armagh, an apartment in south Belfast, the proceeds of the sale of three other houses in south Armagh and a number of bank accounts.
The agency has also taken control of assets belonging to 10 other people in the south Armagh area, including Mr Hughes wife, Annette.
‘Unacceptable’
But Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy hit out at Soca and criticised the decision to stage police raids at the south Armagh properties on Tuesday morning.
“Sean Hughes is a sound republican. He has spent his entire adult life engaged in the struggle for Irish unity and independence,” said Mr Murphy.
“He has championed the peace process and the campaign to end political policing. There have been numerous attempts over the years to smear Sean’s character.”
He added: “The raids today on Sean’s home and those of a number of his relatives have caused deep anger in south Armagh. There is no justification for the deliberate targeting of Sean and his family today.
“Sean has been charged with nothing. Neither have any members of his family. It is unacceptable.”
The Five Demands 