The Five Demands

Impossibile stabilire oltre ogni ragionevole dubbio, il coinvolgimento di Kevin Crilly nell’omicidio del Capitano Nairac

Il Capitano Nairac fu rapito e ucciso, indicativamente tra il 13 e il 16 maggio 1977. Si tratta di uno dei casi più misteriosi degli interi Troubles.
Il giudice Richard McLaughlin ha detto che mentre è chiare che Crilly fosse presente la notte della scomparsa di Nairac, non è dimostrabile che sapesse cosa stava per accadere.
Il giudice ha anche detto che le prove scientifiche non stabiliscono la colpevolezza di Crilly di là di ogni dubbio.
“L’accusa non ha dimostrato oltre ogni ragionevole dubbio lo stato di conoscenza o di volontà necessaria per trasformare il passaggio fornito a (Liam) Townson (che è stato condannato per l’omicidio) da parte Crilly in un luogo imprecisato e in un momento imprecisato, in una partecipazione consapevole ad un potenziale omicidio”.
“Per queste ragioni dichiaro l’imputato non colpevole”, ha sentenziato il giudice.
Crilly, che ha negli USA per quasi 30 anni dopo l’omicidio, nel 2007 fu intervistato per il programma della BBC, Spotlight.
In quell’occasione, ricorda il giudice Richard McLaughlin: “L’ammissione di Crilly ai giornalisti del programma Spotlight prova che è stato coinvolto in qualche misura negli eventi che hanno portato alla morte del capitano Nairac”.
“Era presente al Three Steps Inn, dove ciò che ha descritto come una ‘battaglia’, ha avuto luogo.
“Questo può significare soltanto l’essere stato testimone del rapimento del capitano Nairac, ma non dimostra la sua partecipazione attiva in esso.”

Kevin Crilly cleared of Captain Robert Nairac murder (BBC News Northern Ireland)
A County Armagh man has been cleared of the murder of undercover soldier Captain Robert Nairac 33 years ago.
Kevin Crilly, 60, from Lowerfoughill Road, Jonesborough, was accused of the murder of Captain Nairac between 13 and 16 May 1977.
The undercover soldier was abducted from a bar at Drumintee in south Armagh in May 1977 before being killed.
On Friday, a judge at Belfast Crown Court cleared Mr Crilly of involvement in the murder.
As well as the murder charge, Mr Crilly was cleared of four other charges, including kidnapping and false imprisonment.
The kidnap and murder of British Army Captain Robert Nairac is one of the most mysterious cases of Northern Ireland’s Troubles.
On the night of his disappearance on 14 May 1977, he was working undercover without backup in the republican heartland of south Armagh, attempting to gather intelligence on IRA operations.
Accounts of the final hours before his disappearance have the Catholic public school-educated officer in a bar singing Irish rebel songs in a fake local accent.
He was posthumously awarded the George Cross – the citation praises his resistance to his abductors and bravery under “a succession of exceptionally savage assaults”.
Three men have previously been convicted of murdering Capt Nairac.
Mr Justice Richard McLaughlin said that while it was clear Mr Crilly was present on the night and had picked up the man who murdered Captain Nairac – Liam Townson – it had not been proved he knew what was going to happen.
The judge also said forensic evidence did not establish Mr Crilly’s guilt beyond doubt.
“The prosecution has not proved beyond reasonable doubt the state of knowledge or intention necessary to transform the transporting of (Liam) Townson (who was convicted of the murder) by Crilly to an unspecified place at an unspecified time into a knowing participation in a potential murder.
“For these reasons I find the accused not guilty,” the judge said.
Mr Crilly had been living in America for nearly 30 years after the murder.
BBC Northern Ireland’s Spotlight programme interviewed him in 2007.
Mr Justice Richard McLaughlin said: “The admissions by Crilly to the journalists from the Spotlight programme prove he was involved to some degree in the events surrounding the death of Captain Nairac.
“He was present at the Three Steps Inn where what he described as a ‘battle’ took place.
“This can only mean what he witnessed was the abduction of Captain Nairac but it does not prove his active participation in it.”