The Haas Talks

[Apparently so]

Hope he does resign and takes the rest of his dimwitted mates with him. Maybe the North will start to achieve instead of arguing over stupid shite every week

See tbh, I would rather direct rule coming from both Dublin and London. We might see something happen then because Sinn Fein and especially the DUP are f**king hopeless

Shitehole of a place

[Orior]

Hope he does resign and takes the rest of his dimwitted mates with him. Maybe the North will start to achieve instead of arguing over stupid shite every week

See tbh, I would rather direct rule coming from both Dublin and London. We might see something happen then because Sinn Fein and especially the DUP are f**king hopeless

Shitehole of a place

Yeah yeah, but we do have.... we have.... we've... a feck it you're right.

[Maguire01]

It's getting harder and harder to argue for devolution. It's difficult to see what it has actually achieved. Maybe Robinson should just pull the plug.

[stibhan]

It's getting harder and harder to argue for devolution. It's difficult to see what it has actually achieved. Maybe Robinson should just pull the plug.

If devolution goes then a United Ireland is inevitable.

[heganboy]

If devolution goes then a United Ireland is inevitable.

whats the thinking here? I'm curious as to why you believe that this is the case

[AQMP]

"Get Out Of Jail Free" Card??  I hardly think so...

"The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has been informed by the Attorney General that on the basis of the information currently available, there is no outstanding direction for prosecution in Northern Ireland, there are no warrants in existence nor are you wanted in Northern Ireland for arrest, questioning or charge by the police. The Police Service of Northern Ireland are not aware of any interest in you from any other police force in the United Kingdom. If any other outstanding offence or offences came to light, or if any request for extradition were to be received, these would have to be dealt with in the usual way."*

*Posted on Slugger

[Applesisapples]

I must be thick, I don't see the issue here for Pete the Prod. They were informed that there was no evidence against them, by letter. If the evidence was there then they wouldn't get a letter. All the evidence points that the DUP knew that these were being dealt with they are dancing on the head of a pin claiming they didn't know that the scheme was "administrative" or that there was letters, how would people be notified? Carrier pigeons? Nolan on at the moment biased as usual, Atwood sounding more Unionist than an SDLP council candidate.

[theskull1]

How'd yer Hyde park accused go free then? If a blunder at the time meant he got a letter, why was it not subsequently rescinded?

[johnneycool]

How'd yer Hyde park accused go free then? If a blunder at the time meant he got a letter, why was it not subsequently rescinded?

It looks like the only blunder was with the PSNI not checking whether this lad was wanted by other UK police forces , but at the same time I'm sure Sinn Fein would have been pushing for all OTR's to get this letter irrespective if they were wanted by the PSNI, Met or whoever.

I'd say its turned into a blamegame with Peter doing the Pontius Pilate on it.

[orangeman]

It's perfect timing for the Unionists who were under serious pressure to do business and now they've won the lotto.


This comes as massive relief to Peter and Gregory and Jim Allister will be having an absolute field day.

[haranguerer]

Theres been a lot of talk for quite a while that Peter has been looking an out - personal issues and the like.

This seems like it may be the opportunity hes been waiting for, he can appear to be martyring himself.

They're a ridiculous bunch of people.

[Nally Stand]

So what's the solution going forward? An amnesty for everyone, or everyone subject to due process? Because whatever about the wrongs of the past, it's not a runner to support an amnesty for one side, but campaign for that justice must be served against the other.

It's an easy argument to hold, but is a bit over simplistic as it neglects the fact that over 25,000 republicans have already served jail sentences. Compared to just how many british security force personnel?? Three sentenced for murder? (And all three released and one or two reinstated to the army, handed their guns back and later promoted.)

[Nally Stand]

Former vice-chair of the policing board Dennis Bradley speaking of a briefing the Policing Board got in 2007 has said that board members, including representatives from every party except Sinn Féin, had been briefed about the issue of OTRs.

"When I was vice-chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, the police came in and gave us a detailed briefing of the scheme. The Policing Board, at that stage, was the only institution up and running. The executive wasn't in being, it was suspended and didn't come into being until a couple of years later. But the police were up front and open and all of the political parties in Northern Ireland, barring Sinn Féin who weren't on the board at that time, would have been aware of the scheme. I remember the briefing and who gave the briefing. I don't think any political party should be talking about a crisis."


At the April 2010 Policing Board meeting, Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris answered a question from the DUP's Tom Buchanan about the issue.

Mr Harris had replied: "There is an ongoing process to resolve those individuals who mostly refer to themselves as 'On the Runs'.

"There are a number of different methods of being identified as being 'On the Run,' mostly through names submitted, either by political parties or the governments to ourselves.

"There is then an investigation which follows into the individual and the crimes that he may have been involved in, and then this is subsequently reported to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) where test for prosecution is met.

'Powers of arrest'
"We have been working through this process over the last number of years and it continues still to be available.

"So, in effect, as we become aware of a name in a particular incident, we carry out a cold case review and an investigation and report that to the PPS to see then if the test for prosecution is met or any other work that may be done.

[AQMP]

According to the Bel Tel, it was widely reported in June 2012 upon her appointment to the Commission for Victims and Survivors, that former OTR Eibhlin Glenholmes had received assurances that she was not wanted by the PSNI in connection with any incidents during the Troubles.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/debateni/news/tony-blair-aide-told-of-pact-on-comfort-letters-in-2008-30046308.html

[Nally Stand]

There's also an interview from last year where Gerry Kelly refers not only to the letters, but specifically to John Downey's letter. "John Downey recieved a letter from the NIO in 2007 stating that he was not wanted by the PSNI or any British police force" (23rd May 2013)

Even Basil McCrea is now coming out and saying that it is bad faith for people coming out saying they didn't know. (That little stoop toerag Alex Attwood amongst them. (My words, not Basil's))