The Five Demands

Willie Frazer ricorre all’High Court nel tentativo di portare avanti un’azione civile contro il vice primo ministro nordirlandese

Willie Frazer, alla testa dell’associazione FAIR (Families Acting for Innocent Relatives), ha deciso di rivolgersi alla High Court nel tentativo di far progredire il procedimento legale ai danni di Martin McGuinness che non ha mai nascosto il ruolo di primo piano rivestito all’interno del Provisional IRA negli anni bui dei Troubles.
Già lo scorso mese di marzo Willie Frazer dichiarò di aver consegnato un mandato intestato a McGuinness presso l’edificio del Parlamento. Il fatto non è stato mai confermato dal Sinn Fein.
Frazer, rimasto orfano di padre ucciso dall’IRA nel 1975, ha affermato di aver agito presso la High Court sullo slancio della pubblicazione e delle conclusione del Rapporto Saville sulla Bloody Sunday. Proprio Lord Saville nella sua relazione ha evidenziato il ruolo dell’oggi vice primo ministro all’epoca del bagno di sangue del 30 gennaio 1972.
A sostegno dell’azione di Frazer, un gruppo di sostenitore che ha sostato all’esterno dell’High Court brandendo striscioni e cartelli.

McGuinness legal action over IRA past (U TV)
The son of an IRA murder victim has launched a High Court bid to activate a civil action against Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Willie Frazer says the Sinn Fein MP is in default of a writ he claims to have served on him in connection with his former role within the paramilitary organisation.
Sinn Fein rejects his allegation that a legal document was properly received during an encounter at Parliament Buildings in March.
But Mr Frazer, whose father Bertie was shot dead by the IRA in 1975, attended the High Court to swear an affidavit as part of attempts to advance proceedings.
The founder of the south Armagh-based campaign group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR) says he was motivated by the findings of the Saville report into the Bloody Sunday shootings.
Mr McGuinness has declared he was a senior member of the IRA in Derry when paratroopers killed 14 civilians during a civil rights march in the city in 1972.
It is this role within the organisation which fuelled Mr Frazer’s attempt to sue him.
He said: “They (republicans) have blamed security forces for everything that has happened in Northern Ireland. We are sick to the back teeth with inquiry after inquiry.
“If that’s the road republicans want to go down we are prepared to take them down it, but it’s not going to be a one-sided approach. It may take 10, 20, 30 years but so be it.”
Mr Frazer said his intention was to get the Deputy First Minister into the witness box, and claimed others would be backing him in bringing the action.
As he dealt with legal issues a group of supporters gathered outside the High Court holding banners and placards.
“He (Mr McGuinness) is in default of that writ. We are here today to activate the writ to start the legal proceedings,” he added.
Mr Frazer also likened his case to the civil action brought by relatives of some of those killed in the Omagh bombing carried out by the Real IRA.
A Sinn Fein spokesman rejected the FAIR leader’s claims about the writ served on Mr McGuinness, saying that whatever was produced had been thrown at him.