The Five Demands

La notizia al termine dell’incontro tra i familiari delle vittime e il Police Ombudsman

Sei uomini – tra cui un anziano di 87 anni – e 5 feriti, fu il bilancio del massacro avvenuto presso The Heights Bar dove, nel giugno 1994, fecero irruzione 2 uomini dell’UVF sparando 200 proeittili.
Al termine di un incontro con i familiari delle vittime avvenuto oggi 4 febbraio, il Police Ombudsman ha rivelato la pubblicazione del rapporto entro il mese di marzo prossimo.
Un risultato importante per i familiari, nonostante i ritardi, che da sempre hanno sostenuto l’esistenza di una collusione tra il gruppo paramilitare lealista dell’Ulster Volunteer Force, le forze di sicurezza ed i servizi segreti.
“Le famiglie delle vittime di Loughinisland si sono comportati con la massima dignità e coraggio da quella notte tragica”, ha dichiarato Caitriona Ruane, rappresentate Sinn Fein all’Assembly per la circoscrizione di South Down e  ha aggiunto “Accolgo con favore il fatto che, dopo un inutile ritardo, le famiglie siano state informate della consegna del Rapporto sul massacro di Loughlinisland previsto per la metà di marzo prossimo”.
Margaret Ritchie, leader SDLP e rappresentante al parlamento del South Down, ha sottolineato l’inesorabile dilazione dei tempi di indagine, “Le famiglie delle persone uccise hanno aspettato quasi 17 anni per ottenere informazioni su come e perché i loro cari siano stati assassinati in modo barbaro”.
“Spero che questa relazione ci spieghi perché questo è accaduto, e porti alla luce una qualunque prova di collusione, di coinvolgimento del MI5 e, soprattutto, e che raccomandi soprattutto i prossimi passi in materia di azioni penali e per ottenere giustizia per le famiglie ed i loro cari”.

Video News da UTV

March date for Loughinisland report (UTV)
The long-awaited report into the 1994 Loughinisland killings will be published by the Police Ombudsman’s office at the end of next month.
Six men – including an elderly 87-year-old man – were killed when two UVF gunmen sprayed The Heights Bar in the Co Down village with 200 bullets in June 1994.
Five others were injured in the shooting.
Families of the victims of the loyalist massacre met Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson on Friday to express their concern over the delay in publishing the report.
They have consistently maintained that there was security force collusion and that a number of agents working for the police were involved in the atrocity.
Speaking after the meeting, Sinn Féin South Down MLA Caitríona Ruane said:
“The Loughinisland families have carried themselves with the utmost dignity and courage since that tragic night.
“I welcome the fact that after a needlessly ling delay the families were informed that the Report into the Loughlinisland Massacre will be handed over to the families in mid-March.”
SDLP Leader and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said: “The families of those murdered have waited nearly 17 years for information about how and why their loved ones were murdered in such a barbaric way.
“I hope that this report will reveal why this happened, and bring to light any evidence of collusion, MI5 involvement and, importantly, recommend the next steps in relation to prosecutions and obtaining justice for the families and their loved ones.”
Last year, a file was sent to the PPS to consider whether to press charges against a police officer involved in the case. He was alleged to have helped the UVF gunmen involved in the massacre.
The reservist, who was suspended by the PSNI, had been questioned over perverting the course of justice and helping the gang make its getaway after the shooting.
The decision was taken not to proceed with the prosecution.
In a statement, the PPS said there was “insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction of the individual reported.”
Lat year, UTV obtained details of the initial findings of the independent investigation by the Police Ombudsman.
They showed that he considered there to have been major failings in the original investigation.
Details obtained by UTV included claims that not enough effort was made to identity the killers, that police failed to speak to people of interest, and that key forensic evidence was destroyed.