Adams' brother sought over alleged abuse

[Evil Genius]

PRESS RELEASE - STATEMENT FROM RAPE CRISIS CENTRE RE- SINN FEIN RESPONSE TO THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE.

The Rape Crisis And Sexual Abuse Centre is making the statement following allegations that Suzanne Breen and the Sunday Tribune have manipulated victims of sexual abuse.

The Rape Crisis Centre has known Suzanne Breen for over twenty years and can vouch for her honesty sincerity and courage as an investigative reporter.

She has done tremendous work in allowing survivors of rape and sexual abuse to tell their stories and has exposed cover-ups by those in power. She has always been sensitive professional and caring in her dealings with victims.

We have no reason whatsoever to believe that either Suzanne or the Sunday Tribune has manipulated any survivor of abuse.

We have spoken with Ms Cahill, grand niece of Joe Cahill (who has requested that her first name does not be printed) She is an intelligent professional woman, and she has given us her absolute assurance that it was she who contacted Suzanne Breen to bring her abuse, and the failure of the Republican Movement to deal with it appropriately to public attention.

Ms Cahill has asked us to provide her statement below, to clarify the issue.

"Over the last number of weeks, I watched Aine Tyrell give a very brave and very moving account of the alleged abuse she suffered. I also watched a number of media interviews with members of Sinn Fein afterwards. I was horrified.

I thought long and hard about telling my story. It wasn't an easy decision. I had every right to do so. I was most certainly not manipulated into giving any interview. I approached the Northern Editor, Suzanne Breen, of my own accord. I wanted other victims to know they were not on their own in cases like this, and I wanted them to know it is possible to recover. I know from the response that I received subsequently from other victims, that it was the right thing to do.

During the interview, Suzanne Breen helped me feel comfortable, spent considerable time with me, and respected and supported me. She acted in a truly ethical and moral fashion. The article printed was an accurate and truthful account of what happened me.

Sinn Fein has stated that Gerry Adams refutes the allegations I made. Gerry Adams first spoke to me about my case in August 2000. I had meetings with him at which I expressed my feelings on the way I was being treated until 2006. I have no interest in attacking Gerry Adams, I have been fond of him at times in my life, he was sympathetic at times. However, I stand by my assertion that my meetings with him were pointless, because there was no resolution


Unbeknownst to the IRA and Sinn Fein, I attended counselling during a good part of their investigation, which I arranged with a counsellor who I knew to be free from republican control. Thankfully that counsellor kept notes. Those notes authenticate my account. Medical records also verify parts of the story.

Sinn Fein has said it is considering suing the Sunday Tribune. If Sinn Fein is challenging the truth of my story, let them sue me. I thank the Sunday Tribune for interviewing me in a highly sensitive way – and for the support I received afterwards. To date, since my story was printed, no-one from Sinn Fein has contacted me to offer the same.

My surname is not important. It does not define me, but it does show that there was no hierarchy of victims. There seems to be however, a hierarchy when it came to perpetrators of abuse."

Ms ******* Cahill.

The Rape Crisis Centre would also like to add that we have seen copies of documents held by The Sunday Tribune and can verify that no other victim of abuse was manipulated. It would appear to the Rape Crisis Centre that survivors of rape and abuse are being manipulated, as are most of the Northern Press however, Suzanne Breen and the Sunday Tribune are not the culprits.

Hmmm. In post #249, Donagh Ulick attempted to belittle/smear/denigrate Suzanne Breen and the Tribune's reporting of the allegations around Adams, by a calculated piece of spin and insinuation - all from a purported position of concern for Sinn Fein's credibility er, the unfortunate victim , particularly her requirement for anonymity, as follows:

"Something stinks with the Tribune and Irish News stories on Briege Meehan and it's not just that they seem to have betrayed the victims right to anonymity. The infighting in the Meehan family has been well know for years, with many things alleged about all the siblings and the victims husband (a quick Google search reports him and her exiled from the north in 2002). There have been rumours of a long running feud between Briege Meehan and the victims brother (who has been appearing fairly frequently in Suzanne Breen articles recently). Add to this that the allegations have only been made after the death of Martin Meehan, there seems to be a lot of competing motivations on all sides of the story - maybe to many to allow for unbiased reporting. 
I'm not saying the victims allegations are false but that the whole unsavoury incident would have more chance of being sorted out away from the limelight, as the victim had requested."

Care to question the motives, objectivity and accuracy of the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre now, Donagh Ulick? 

[Ulick]

Hmmm. In post #249, Donagh Ulick attempted to belittle/smear/denigrate Suzanne Breen and the Tribune's reporting of the allegations around Adams, by a calculated piece of spin and insinuation - all from a purported position of concern for Sinn Fein's credibility er, the unfortunate victim , particularly her requirement for anonymity, as follows:

"Something stinks with the Tribune and Irish News stories on Briege Meehan and it's not just that they seem to have betrayed the victims right to anonymity. The infighting in the Meehan family has been well know for years, with many things alleged about all the siblings and the victims husband (a quick Google search reports him and her exiled from the north in 2002). There have been rumours of a long running feud between Briege Meehan and the victims brother (who has been appearing fairly frequently in Suzanne Breen articles recently). Add to this that the allegations have only been made after the death of Martin Meehan, there seems to be a lot of competing motivations on all sides of the story - maybe to many to allow for unbiased reporting. 
I'm not saying the victims allegations are false but that the whole unsavoury incident would have more chance of being sorted out away from the limelight, as the victim had requested."

Care to question the motives, objectivity and accuracy of the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre now, Donagh Ulick? 

Eh, have we finished with Suzanne Breen? Yesterday you were saying I was making snide insinuations or something about her creditability when today it has emerged that:

• she identified one of the victims of abuse against her wishes,
• falsely alleged that one of the alleged victims was raped/submitted to sexual abuse
• never followed up on any of the allegations,
• incorrectly alleged that Adams was informed of the abuse,
• incorrectly alleged that the abuser is still a SF official
• didn't disclose that the most high profile dissident republican in Belfast sat in on her interview with the alleged victim
• didn't disclose that that dissident republican brought the story to her
• never questioned the role of the PSNI, RUC and Social Services in these matters

Now I know you haven't lived in Ireland for quite a bit of time, so I can overlook your obvious little faux pas such as someone taking all the copies of the ST from the newsagents in West Belfast, as excusable particularity when you are picking up tittle tattle from OWC.

However how do you evaluate the behaviour of the paragon of virture and professionalism that is Suzanne Breen in light of these matters? On the face of it, it now seems my scepticism regarding Breen is well founded.

[Myles Na G.]

Sunday Tribune statement in response to PSF

Sinn Fein has claimed that the Sunday Tribune, in its coverage of the sex abuse cover-up in the republican movement, is engaged in a campaign to smear the party and its president Gerry Adams. This is simply untrue. We would pursue any political party and its leader with equal vigour given the information we have unearthed.

In relation to last Sunday's edition and Sinn Fein's allegation of manipulation of one of two victims who spoke to our Northern Editor Suzanne Breen, we categorically stand by our story and our treatment of the abuse survivors involved.

It is being claimed by Sinn Fein and by one of the women, whose identity was not revealed in the Sunday Tribune, that Mr Adams did not know of the abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of a Sinn Fein elected representative. This is directly at odds with the information we were given and we have proof of this.

The Sunday Tribune was approached in the first instance by this victim's brother who stated in writing that Gerry Adams had been personally informed about the allegations of sexual and physical abuse against an elected Sinn Fein member over two years ago.

Ms Breen subsequently interviewed the victim at length in the presence of her brother and a photographer. The claim that Gerry Adams knew of the abuse was repeatedly made by both the victim and her brother at this meeting which took place on Wednesday January 5 2010.

The victim offered to pose for photographs and photographs were taken in front of a wall mural.

In follow-up telephone conversations before the publication of the article in the Sunday Tribune, the story, as it would appear in the newspaper, including the allegations against Gerry Adams, was read to both the victim and her brother. They both agreed it was an honest and accurate account of the interview.

Last Saturday, January 16 2010, the victim, through the solicitors Madden and Finucane, claimed she had never given permission for the interview or allegations to be used. Although consent was freely given by the victim, the Sunday Tribune respected her decision to withdraw consent for her identity to be revealed and ran the story without identifying her.

The other abuse victim, the grand niece of Joe Cahill, has issued a statement to the Sunday Tribune confirming that she was not manipulated into giving an interview.

She said: "Sinn Fein has stated that Gerry Adams refutes the allegations I made. Gerry Adams first spoke to me about my case in August 2006. I had meetings with him at which I expressed my feelings on the way I was being treated until 2006. I eventually ended the interviews because they were going nowhere and I believed they were pointless.

"Sinn Fein has said it is considering suing the Sunday Tribune. If Sinn Fein is challenging the truth of my story, let them sue me. I thank the Sunday Tribune for interviewing me in a highly sensitive way – and for the support I received afterwards. To date, since my story was printed, no-one from Sinn Fein has contacted me to offer the same. I am also making a statement later today to the Rape Crisis Centre on this issue."

[Ulick]

No sign of the solicitors letter from the victim Myles? I guess that clearly shows what your agenda is 

[Myles Na G.]

No sign of the solicitors letter from the victim Myles? I guess that clearly shows what your agenda is 

I lifted that from Slugger, so send your complaints that way if you don't mind.

[Ulick]

No sign of the solicitors letter from the victim Myles? I guess that clearly shows what your agenda is 

I lifted that from Slugger, so send your complaints that way if you don't mind.

Then you couldn't have missed it as its on the same blog, indeed the letter has been there all day and the Tribune statement added later. BTW, would a link or summary not have done so there would be room for discussion here without having to scroll through all of that?

[Myles Na G.]

No sign of the solicitors letter from the victim Myles? I guess that clearly shows what your agenda is 

I lifted that from Slugger, so send your complaints that way if you don't mind.

Then you couldn't have missed it as its on the same blog, indeed the letter has been there all day and the Tribune statement added later. BTW, would a link or summary not have done so there would be room for discussion here without having to scroll through all of that?

That bit's fair comment. The rest isn't. You had already included many of the points from the solicitor's letter in your post above. I pasted in the Tribune statement to balance that.

[Ulick]

No sign of the solicitors letter from the victim Myles? I guess that clearly shows what your agenda is 

I lifted that from Slugger, so send your complaints that way if you don't mind.

Then you couldn't have missed it as its on the same blog, indeed the letter has been there all day and the Tribune statement added later. BTW, would a link or summary not have done so there would be room for discussion here without having to scroll through all of that?

That bit's fair comment. The rest isn't. You had already included many of the points from the solicitor's letter in your post above. I pasted in the Tribune statement to balance that.

So you did see the letter before you posted the statement? You boys, shheshh...

But you didn't counter my points or comment on the Tribune statement. How was I to know you were aiming the statement at me?

It's quite obvious now Breen lost the run of herself and has let her personal agenda cloud her work. The ST statement does little to change salvage her credibility.

As for your posting of Eileen Calder's character reference - what was that about? Do you think it appropriate for the head of a body such as the RCC to be wading into this to support someone who denied a victim her right to anonymity? Is that not a conflict of interest?

[Myles Na G.]

The Tribune statement contradicts what the victim has claimed - she says she didn't give permission for the story on sexual abuse to be published, the Tribune maintains that Breen kept the woman informed of exactly what they were about to run with. If the Tribune statement is true, then Breen's integrity is intact. The testimonial from the RCC suggests that Breen has a track record of dealing with abuse victims with sensitivity and professionalism. This is supported by the other victim, Joe Cahill's grand niece. Contrast with the way the abuse victims have been treated by the republican movement in general and Gerry Adams in particular.

[Ulick]

The Tribune statement contradicts what the victim has claimed - she says she didn't give permission for the story on sexual abuse to be published, the Tribune maintains that Breen kept the woman informed of exactly what they were about to run with. If the Tribune statement is true, then Breen's integrity is intact. The testimonial from the RCC suggests that Breen has a track record of dealing with abuse victims with sensitivity and professionalism. This is supported by the other victim, Joe Cahill's grand niece. Contrast with the way the abuse victims have been treated by the republican movement in general and Gerry Adams in particular.

Sorry are you replying to me this time? The Tribune statement doesn't nothing to dispute the claim that they denied the victim her right to anonymity or that they or Breen followed up on any of the allegations. That is the clincher. They have used this poor woman to sell a few more papers and further Breen's agenda and career. A very low move by anyones standards and supports what I have been saying about her for years.

[Kerry Mike]

Some of the stuff alledged about this suspended councillor is just pure evil, if its all true I hope she gets locked up for a long time but what puzzles me is how did she become a councillor in the first place if these allegations were hanging over her, if what some people are saying the rumours have been about for years yet she is still selected by Sinn Fein and elected by the public to her post, even tonight she is still listed among the councillors on the Sinn Fein website.

I must admit I knew little about Martin Meehan and did a bit of you-tubing and googling for the last hour on him but Gerry Adams graveside oration, below, in 2007 gives an insight into him and his wife and the high esteem they were both held within republican ranks.

http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/detail/21635

[Evil Genius]

The Tribune statement doesn't nothing to dispute the claim that they denied the victim her right to anonymity or that they or Breen followed up on any of the allegations. That is the clincher. They have used this poor woman to sell a few more papers and further Breen's agenda and career. A very low move by anyones standards and supports what I have been saying about her for years.

In the years since Breen reported the following, perhaps, Donagh Ulick?

http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2005/nov/13/known-ira-men-cleared-up-gangrape-scene-claims-rap/

Known IRA men cleared up gangrape scene, claims Rape Crisis chief

There is growing concern in the North about threats and interference by Community Restorative Justice members
(by Suzanne Breen)

THE North's Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre hears stories of brutal assaults every week but this one was particularly horrific. "It was the gang rape of a young woman, " says the centre's codirector Eileen Calder.

"The perpetrators' families were associated with the Provisional IRA and CRJ (Community Restorative Justice).

Known IRA men were seen cleaning up the scene.

"These people did their utmost to prevent this young woman reporting the crime to police. Crown counsel told the victim he wouldn't be willing to raise the actions of the IRA and CRJ unless she made arrangements to leave the country afterwards."

Calder is alarmed at reports that the British government is about to fund CRJ which operates 14 schemes in nationalist areas across the North. In 2003, CRJ secured almost 1.4m, over a three-year period, from Atlantic Philanthropies . . . US billionaire Chuck Feeney's charity.

That money ends in March so CRJ has applied for state funding. On paper, CRJ seems a great idea, dealing with 1,700 cases in the past year, and presenting itself as resolving conflicts between the perpetrators and victims of local crime.

A stated aim is to reduce 'punishment' attacks. Some CRJ members have a history of paramilitary involvement, such as Harry Maguire, convicted of the 1988 murder of two British Army corporals at an IRA funeral.

CRJ is often seen as an 'alternative police force'. But a Sunday Tribune investigation has heard serious concerns about its activities from a range of organisations and individuals. Two west Belfast families claim CRJ members were intimidatory, and reinforced IRA threats against their relatives.

The Sunday Tribune contacted CRJ headquarters but no-one was available to respond to the allegations.

Eileen Calder of the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre stresses she's not antirepublican: "We supported the campaign to end the stripsearching of IRA women prisoners. I've stood on a platform beside Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun supporting republican women's right to march in Belfast city centre. But I have to speak out on this.

"At best, CRJ adopt a wellmeaning but ham-fisted approach on rape and sexual abuse with which they aren't qualified to deal. They've hampered cases by interfering with evidence which meant the perpetrators weren't brought to court.

"At worst, they've threatened women and attempted to cover up crimes committed by those with IRA, Sinn Fein or CRJ connections. Allowing such people power is like letting the lunatics run the asylum."

Another professional says CRJ once brought a rapist and victim together in one room:

"The woman felt it was worse than being raped."

Calder is even more concerned about the funding of similar schemes in loyalist areas: "It's scary imagining the likes of Johnny Adair, or worse, dealing with rape and child abuse."

Marie Brown of Foyle Women's Aid says CRJ in Derry should address only non-serious crime, and nothing as complex as domestic violence: "We pointed out to CRJ that years of training is needed for that . . . it can't be picked up overnight. We unsuccessfully tried to dissuade them from handling such cases."

Even if well-intentioned, CRJ can exacerbate situations: "An ex-prisoner, arriving at the door and threatening a man who is beating his wife, can make things worse. The CRJ person departs and the woman is left with a partner perhaps even angrier than before. In one case where CRJ was involved, the woman went on to attempt suicide."

Brown says CRJ once stated it would refer cases to Women's Aid only if it promised not to involve the police: "We said we couldn't do that, it's the woman's choice.

It's unfair telling women not to contact police when republican men can contact them for insurance claims in road accidents."

She says CRJ can interfere in individuals' private lives:

"In one case, CRJ visited a woman whose daughter was having an affair with a married man. That wasn't CRJ's business, and it was sexist to land at the door of the easy target . . . the single woman . . . and not the married man."

SDLP policing spokesman, Alex Attwood, says after a planning application in Andersonstown was refused "someone who didn't like it tried to use restorative justice muscle to get local people, whose legitimate objections had been upheld, to change their minds."

Two west Belfast families make grave allegations against CRJ. Jane Dorrian's son Bernard (22), a paranoid schizophrenic, admits previous alcohol and drugs' abuse and joyriding. "Bernard needs help, not threats, " says his mother.

In May, the IRA gave Bernard 24 hours to leave the country. His mother says he left home but later returned for his belongings. She claims threats were then made by a CRJ member, whose name is known to the Sunday Tribune:

"X told me Bernard had been seen at the house and, if it happened again, I'd have to get out too."

Dorrian says another CRJ member, whose name is also known to this newspaper, made further threats. "Y told me twice on the phone that, if I didn't leave my home, a 300strong picket would be outside the door."

Victor Notorantonio from Ballymurphy says: "Our family has no love for police but we'd be happier dealing with them any day than with CRJ."

He says a CRJ member, whose name is known to the Sunday Tribune, called his family to a meeting at which two other community activists . . . an ex-IRA prisoner and a Sinn Fein representative whose names are also known to this newspaper . . . were present.

Notorantonio's son Frank (18) and his nephew Billy (21) were given 24 hours to leave the country. "They wanted me to sign a form saying I wouldn't shelter my son. I told them they could wreck my house and burn my car, but the boys were going nowhere.

"Billy used to work in a call centre but is too scared to go in now. Frank still works but I drive him everywhere. Walking is too dangerous."

Anthony McIntrye, a former IRA prisoner opposed to violence by mainstream and dissident republicans, says CRJ began as a good idea: "It had an element of independence . . . and some of those involved are genuine people . . .

but it's been largely colonised by the Provos."

The SDLP believes restorative justice schemes work well elsewhere but adequate safeguards don't yet exist in the North. It maintains such schemes shouldn't be funded until Sinn Fein signs up to policing. It raised these concerns at Downing Street last week.

The SDLP suspects that, to secure IRA decommissioning, the British government has already promised Sinn Fein funding for CRJ. The government denies this. The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has issued draft guidelines CRJ would need to endorse to secure potential funding. The SDLP dismisses these as inadequate.

They allow for an internal complaints' system, rather than an independent statutory one, says Alex Attwood:

"The police can be investigated by the Police Ombudsman but if someone's rights are abused by a CRJ member they're meant to go higher up in CRJ to complain, which could be going from the frying pan into the fire."

There's an inspection role for the Criminal Justice Inspectorate. "But the inspector is already busy dealing with numerous other criminal justice institutions and could offer only minimal overview, " says Attwood.

"In every other area of public policy since the Agreement, the British government has maximised human rights' protection. This is the only area where it's in reverse.

"Giving enormous power without enormous accountability only leads to abuse.

We've seen that before with the RUC; it mustn't happen now with restorative justice.

We need new legislation offering proper safeguards."

Attwood says CRJ's shoestring image is wrong: "In one part of west Belfast alone, CRJ has applied for state funding of almost £320,000 for a year.

This nails the notion of a lowlevel, low-key operation. This is serious money that will have a serious impact." The Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre says it has an annual budget of only £63,000.

According to NIO draft guidelines, restorative justice schemes "must satisfy themselves as to the suitability of staff. . .". The SDLP wants more rigorous screening. In 2000, it was reported that a CRJ and IRA member, whose name is known to this newspaper, raped a leading republican's two nieces. The IRA subsequently ordered him out of the North.

At the time, CRJ said in such cases it contacted social services, and knew they then contacted police, which CRJ had "no difficulty with". But Attwood claims the allegations were actually never passed to police "which hardly inspires confidence in CRJ".

Maura is a Belfast woman whose brother appeared before CRJ for indecent exposure. "They arrived at his work, took him away, and made him apologise face-toface to the woman he'd flashed at, " she says. "I'd never excuse his actions but shortly afterwards we found out that one of the CRJ men involved had raped those two young girls."

WHAT IS COMMUNITY RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?

Community Restorative Justice is often seen as an alternative police force in nationalist areas, particularly in Belfast and Derry.

It has dealt with 1,700 cases in the past year, and presents itself as resolving con"icts between the perpetrators and victims of crime.

Fourteen CRJ schemes operate in working-class, nationalist districts.

CRJ supporters claim that its standards are "in line with the UN's Vienna Convention" and that it has contributed to the decline in 'punishment' attacks.

Critics say it's just another tool of paramilitary control, and accuse it of human rights' abuses and of selectivity.

In 2003, CRJ secured almost 1.4 million, over a three-year period, from Atlantic Philanthropies . . . US billionaire Chuck Feeney's charity.

It's now applying for substantial British government funding.

November 13, 2005

[Ulick]

Hmmm. In post #249, Donagh Ulick attempted to belittle/smear/denigrate Suzanne Breen and the Tribune's reporting of the allegations around Adams, by a calculated piece of spin and insinuation - all from a purported position of concern for Sinn Fein's credibility er, the unfortunate victim , particularly her requirement for anonymity, as follows:

"Something stinks with the Tribune and Irish News stories on Briege Meehan and it's not just that they seem to have betrayed the victims right to anonymity. The infighting in the Meehan family has been well know for years, with many things alleged about all the siblings and the victims husband (a quick Google search reports him and her exiled from the north in 2002). There have been rumours of a long running feud between Briege Meehan and the victims brother (who has been appearing fairly frequently in Suzanne Breen articles recently). Add to this that the allegations have only been made after the death of Martin Meehan, there seems to be a lot of competing motivations on all sides of the story - maybe to many to allow for unbiased reporting. 
I'm not saying the victims allegations are false but that the whole unsavoury incident would have more chance of being sorted out away from the limelight, as the victim had requested."

Care to question the motives, objectivity and accuracy of the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre now, Donagh Ulick? 

Just in case you missed my reply, I'll put it to you again:

Eh, have we finished with Suzanne Breen? Yesterday you were saying I was making snide insinuations or something about her creditability when today it has emerged that:

    * she identified one of the victims of abuse against her wishes,
    * falsely alleged that one of the alleged victims was raped/submitted to sexual abuse
    * never followed up on any of the allegations,
    * incorrectly alleged that Adams was informed of the abuse,
    * incorrectly alleged that the abuser is still a SF official
    * didn't disclose that the most high profile dissident republican in Belfast sat in on her interview with the alleged victim
    * didn't disclose that that dissident republican brought the story to her
    * never questioned the role of the PSNI, RUC and Social Services in these matters


Now I know you haven't lived in Ireland for quite a bit of time, so I can overlook your obvious little faux pas such as someone taking all the copies of the ST from the newsagents in West Belfast, as excusable particularity when you are picking up tittle tattle from OWC.

However how do you evaluate the behaviour of the paragon of virture and professionalism that is Suzanne Breen in light of these matters? On the face of it, it now seems my scepticism regarding Breen is well founded.

[Myles Na G.]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8471383.stm

[Ulick]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8471383.stm

I don't know if that is supposed to a reply to me or not but if it is, my post mostly refers to the X case not that one.