IRA "fired first" in 1987 attack in Loughgall

Trout · December 02, 2011, 11:39:07 PM

An investigation by the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team (HET) has found the SAS was within its rights to shoot dead eight IRA men during an attack on a County Armagh police station.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the report has concluded the IRA unit opened fire first in the incident at Loughgall RUC station in 1987.
A civilian, Anthony Hughes, was also killed during the incident.
It had previously been believed that the SAS had fired first.
The shootings at Loughgall RUC station were among the most controversial of the Troubles.
Eight members of the IRA's so-called 'East Tyrone brigade' were shot dead by the SAS in a fierce gun battle at Loughgall on 8 May 1987.
They were killed as they approached the station with a 200lb bomb, its fuse lit, in the bucket of a hijacked digger.
The IRA men who died were the East Tyrone IRA 'Commander' Patrick Kelly, 32; Declan Arthurs, 21; Seamus Donnelly, 19; Michael Gormley, 25; Eugene Kelly, 25; James Lynagh, 31, Patrick McKearney, 32 and Gerard O'Callaghan, 29.
A civilian, Anthony Hughes, 36, was killed and his brother badly wounded when they were caught up in the crossfire.
The brother-in-law of Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff wife was one of those killed.
"I'm not going to disown Patrick Kelly or any of the other people killed at Loughall," he said.
"If it was a war then the British government are wrong - they have said all along it wasn't a war.
"They were bound by the laws of democracy, law enforcement and all of that, and if that's the case then they should have attempted to arrest them."
Accuracy questioned
Mairead Kelly said she accepted "fully" that her brother Patrick and the other "IRA men that night were armed".
However, she questioned the accuracy of the information given on Friday.
"The families are the point of contact with the HET regarding this review," she said.
"At no stage have the families been told that a report has been completed. As a matter of fact, I have been given assurances that this report is not completed and I have no hint about what is in the report."
Previously it was reported that the soldiers fired more than 600 bullets with the IRA men firing 70 shots.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the HET has found that members of the IRA unit opened fire as they approached the police station.
The HET have refused to comment on the story.
Investigators are believed to have concluded that the IRA members could not have been arrested safely.
It is understood the full findings of the report are due to be released within weeks.
In 2001, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the British government should pay £10,000 compensation to each of the families of the IRA members killed in the Loughgall incident.

trileacman · December 02, 2011, 11:47:04 PM

To what point or purpose does this "investigation" serve?

Windmill abu · December 02, 2011, 11:57:17 PM

QuoteA civilian, Anthony Hughes, was also killed during the incident.

Regardless of who fired first, the killing of an unarmed civilian by armed forces is murder unless they were engaged in a war

QuoteEight members of the IRA's so-called 'East Tyrone brigade' were shot dead by the SAS in a fierce gun battle at Loughgall on 8 May 1987.

Trout is this your opinion or do you have evidence that these were not members of the IRA?

Trout · December 03, 2011, 12:01:21 AM

The report is from the bbc Windmill abu

Windmill abu · December 03, 2011, 12:25:23 AM

QuoteThe report is from the bbc Windmill abu

You have been here long enough to know that you put quotation marks or references if these are not your personal opinions

Windmill abu · December 03, 2011, 12:45:23 AM

QuoteThe report is from the bbc Windmill abu

Why would you post a B.B.C. reference here without some comment/opinion from yourself?

Have you now decided that you want the B.B.C. to justify the killing of innocent Irishmen because you can no longer do the same,?

Or do you think we can't get the BBC online?

Eamonnca1 · December 03, 2011, 01:05:58 AM

Quote from: Trout on December 02, 2011, 11:39:07 PM
The brother-in-law of Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff wife was one of those killed.
"I'm not going to disown Patrick Kelly or any of the other people killed at Loughall," he said.
"If it was a war then the British government are wrong - they have said all along it wasn't a war.
"They were bound by the laws of democracy, law enforcement and all of that, and if that's the case then they should have attempted to arrest them."

So the hunger strikers were criminals after all then. Never thought I'd hear a shinner saying that.

Windmill abu · December 03, 2011, 01:23:09 AM

Quote[The brother-in-law of Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff wife was one of those killed.
"I'm not going to disown Patrick Kelly or any of the other people killed at Loughall," he said.
"If it was a war then the British government are wrong - they have said all along it wasn't a war.
"They were bound by the laws of democracy, law enforcement and all of that, and if that's the case then they should have attempted to arrest them."

So the hunger strikers were criminals after all then. Never thought I'd hear a shinner saying that.
/quote]

The Men who gave their lives on hunger strike, or at Loughgall did so to play their part in the struggle for Irish Unity.

The desperate attemps to divide Irish Nationalists in their goal of a United Ireland may seem to be akin to dividing SDLP and SINN FEIN.

But we all know that when the Nationalists have the majority we will vote for a United Ireland and anyone who disagrees can either accept the will of the majorirty or go to Scotland and peddle their sectarian hatred there,

ThroughTheLaces · December 03, 2011, 02:54:00 AM

Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 03, 2011, 01:05:58 AM
Quote from: Trout on December 02, 2011, 11:39:07 PM
The brother-in-law of Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff wife was one of those killed.
"I'm not going to disown Patrick Kelly or any of the other people killed at Loughall," he said.
"If it was a war then the British government are wrong - they have said all along it wasn't a war.
"They were bound by the laws of democracy, law enforcement and all of that, and if that's the case then they should have attempted to arrest them."

So the hunger strikers were criminals after all then. Never thought I'd hear a shinner saying that.

Well, you haven't

Ulick · December 03, 2011, 03:25:28 AM

Did the HET not announce earlier in the week that it is illegal under European law for the police to investigate themselves?

JUst retired · December 03, 2011, 07:10:43 AM

Yes they did but it must have slipped their minds. I think this report like many others will be shown to be lies, in the future If as they say,they were shooting at the armed forces as they approached the police station,how was the bomd planted?

haranguerer · December 03, 2011, 09:23:38 AM

Quote from: Eamonnca1 on December 03, 2011, 01:05:58 AM
Quote from: Trout on December 02, 2011, 11:39:07 PM
The brother-in-law of Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff wife was one of those killed.
"I'm not going to disown Patrick Kelly or any of the other people killed at Loughall," he said.
"If it was a war then the British government are wrong - they have said all along it wasn't a war.
"They were bound by the laws of democracy, law enforcement and all of that, and if that's the case then they should have attempted to arrest them."

So the hunger strikers were criminals after all then. Never thought I'd hear a shinner saying that.

Go on brainbox, explain how you worked out that one

Myles Na G. · December 03, 2011, 09:41:14 AM

There should be an enquiry into why the families of the IRA men were awarded £10,000 each in compensation.

mylestheslasher · December 03, 2011, 10:07:09 AM

One thing i could never understand or agree with the IRA or Sinn Fein on. If you agree this was a war and 2 armies fought it then surely you have to accept that the British army won this particular duel. If the IRA were the ones hiding in the ditch they would have done exactly the same as the SAS did. That is the risk of being a soldier is it not? What exactly are the IRA families unhappy about?

Lar Naparka · December 03, 2011, 10:23:03 AM

Quote from: mylestheslasher on December 03, 2011, 10:07:09 AM
One thing i could never understand or agree with the IRA or Sinn Fein on. If you agree this was a war and 2 armies fought it then surely you have to accept that the British army won this particular duel. If the IRA were the ones hiding in the ditch they would have done exactly the same as the SAS did. That is the risk of being a soldier is it not? What exactly are the IRA families unhappy about?

Good question, myles. I been wondering about the same thing myself.
If this was a war and and the combatants on both sides were solders, I don't think the question of who fired first is material.