Republicans finally admit murdering 9 year old Gordon Gallagher

Trout · February 24, 2012, 04:58:43 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17152390

The father of a schoolboy killed when he triggered a bomb in Londonderry in 1973 has said he is glad republicans have admitted full responsibility.
Gordon Gallagher, 9, died when the device exploded in his Creggan garden.
His parents called on deputy first minister Martin McGuinness to get to the truth about what happened.

In a statement, republicans accepted full responsibility. Gordon's father said he was glad they accepted that they, not the Army, were to blame.
The statement, released through the campaign group, the Pat Finucane Centre in Derry said: "Republicans fully accept their responsibility for the death of Gordon and apologise to the parents and family of Gordon Gallagher for the pain and grief caused.
"Republicans remain truly remorseful and profoundly sorry for the circumstances that led to Gordon's death."

Billy Gallagher said: "I accept the IRA's responsibility for the murder of Gordon - even though it came through a third party and they didn't speak to me directly.
"This has opened the door for further investigation - I want to know who did it and why. I am glad they take full responsibility and accept that they were to blame and no one else was (the Army).
"This will help to make sure that everyone else knows the IRA were to blame for Gordon's death, even though I always knew that."

Lies
Gordon Gallagher had been playing 'Cowboys and Indians' in the garden with his younger brother when he tripped on the bomb which had been left there.
He died in hospital from his injuries.
At the time, the IRA admitted to the family that a device had been left in the garden. However, it claimed the detonator was added by soldiers.

Mr Gallagher said IRA members came to his home to admit leaving the bomb in his garden.
"Two boys came and lied about it at the start. They told me their unit put the bomb there, but no detonator, that the Army must have come back and put a detonator - it's ridiculous.
"Shock or no shock, I never believed that for a second. One of the men who came to tell me the lies, about two or three weeks after it, his wife arrived at my door and she apologised.
"She said: 'We're sorry about your son but these things happen in war.'
"I said: 'Sure my son wasn't at war, he was only nine years of age.'
"I chased them from my door."

Following the family's appeal to Martin McGuinness earlier this week, republicans released a statement via the Pat Finucane centre.

"Because of the potential danger to the community the IRA made the decision to notify the RUC/British Army through an anonymous phone call - this clearly indicated the location at the rear gardens behind Melmore/Leenan gardens," the statement said.
"Following the phone call the immediate district was then saturated by British troops. The IRA, believing that the British Army had discovered the device during the course of their search, withdrew from the area believing the British Army would have cleared the area and rendered the device safe.
"The IRA felt that if they had moved back to retrieve the device given that the British Army now heavily saturated the area they would be captured or shot. The following morning young Gordon went out to play in his garden and accidentally triggered the explosive device."

Tonto · February 25, 2012, 08:48:15 AM

A 9-year-old murdered by the IRA and the silence here is deafening. But I'm not surprised.

"These things happen in war", eh?

Denn Forever · February 25, 2012, 09:21:48 AM

What more can be said?

bennydorano · February 25, 2012, 10:11:05 AM

My sympathys to the family but the fact it happened in 1973 may have dulled the impact somewhat? Pointless thread created for & by shitehawks. You could create a thread like this every day of the week but is there any point?

theskull1 · February 25, 2012, 10:25:45 AM

Quote from: Tonto on February 25, 2012, 08:48:15 AM
A 9-year-old murdered by the IRA and the silence here is deafening. But I'm not surprised.

"These things happen in war", eh?

Fair point

Tonto · February 25, 2012, 10:27:34 AM

"What more can be said?"

You could ask the same question on every thread on the Troubles. But currently there is a thread raging on to do with the mass suicide pact of the early 1980s.

However, when a story hits the news containing some very uncomfortable truths for republicans, you can hear a pin drop.

ONeill · February 25, 2012, 10:36:06 AM

No really sure what you want. Every poster to state the obvious? Attention maybe? A sick tit-for-tat argument comparing the deaths of children on both sides?

bennydorano · February 25, 2012, 10:39:43 AM

What percentage of board members do you think are genuine Republicans? The derth of genuinely committed chucks might partially answer your query? Or maybe sympathy for the victims is the default position of 99% of board members & doesn't need to be expressed every half hour?

Tonto · February 25, 2012, 10:43:11 AM

Quote from: ONeill on February 25, 2012, 10:36:06 AM
No really sure what you want. Every poster to state the obvious? Attention maybe? A sick tit-for-tat argument comparing the deaths of children on both sides?

Imagine it was the army who killed this young lad. Do you think people would have come on here to "state the obvious"? How do you think people would have reacted had the army said callously a few weeks after the murder, "ouch well, these things happen in war".

The usual mouth-pieces who support violence on this board have miraculously disappeared for the last 24 hours.

ONeill · February 25, 2012, 10:57:22 AM

So, it's clear you want to score points using a youth's death. You could discuss the case if you really wanted to. However, the fact that you claim you haven't engaged with the 'mouth-pieces' you wanted to suggests you posted it for a reaction, not out of sympathy for the family. That's a bit sick.

Tonto · February 25, 2012, 11:01:50 AM

Quote from: ONeill on February 25, 2012, 10:57:22 AM
So, it's clear you want to score points using a youth's death. You could discuss the case if you really wanted to. However, the fact that you claim you haven't engaged with the 'mouth-pieces' you wanted to suggests you posted it for a reaction, not out of sympathy for the family. That's a bit sick.

Firstly, you'll find I didn't start the thread.

Secondly, that you are feigning disgust shows who is really "using" the death of the young boy.

But if you can't play the ball, play the man.

Tonto · February 25, 2012, 11:07:55 AM

And by the way, just so you know, I do feel great sympathy for the man. When I saw him on the news last night I thought he carried himself with a great deal of dignity. Certainly much more than I could have had anyone murdered my child, never been brought to justice and hadn't shown any remorse for 40 years.

Life must still be very hard for him.

ONeill · February 25, 2012, 11:08:46 AM

I'm talking about your first post on this thread. You obviously don't want to discuss the futility of war or philosophise on the act of denial. You want to engage in a tit-for-tat, not a mature discussion. Anyone can see that and I'm sure someone will bite and pleasure you. Also, i'm not disgusted. I won't give it any thought beyond this I'd imagine. Yet I can call a sick mind when I see it.

ONeill · February 25, 2012, 11:11:05 AM

Quote from: Tonto on February 25, 2012, 11:07:55 AM
And by the way, just so you know, I do feel great sympathy for the man. When I saw him on the news last night I thought he carried himself with a great deal of dignity. Certainly much more than I could have had anyone murdered my child, never been brought to justice and hadn't shown any remorse for 40 years.

Life must still be very hard for him.

That's more like it. Well done.

During the troubles there were some terrible things done. Denials and lies on both sides. Some men find it hard to live with what they did or saw. At least some families are getting a small measure of comfort in the truth now.

Tony Baloney · February 25, 2012, 11:14:07 AM

Quote from: bennydorano on February 25, 2012, 10:11:05 AM
My sympathys to the family but the fact it happened in 1973 may have dulled the impact somewhat? Pointless thread created for & by shitehawks. You could create a thread like this every day of the week but is there any point?

Would you tell the Bloody Sunday families to get over themselves it was years ago?