Opinion and Editorials in Support of Gerry McGeough
June 21, 2007
"British Seek To Block Inquiries”, June 14, 2007 in the Irish Voice. Senior civil servant Maurice Hayes claimed “millions of pounds used to fund a public inquiry into the British Army’s shooting dead of 14 civilians on Bloody Sunday could have been better spent in other ways and that a lot of people in Northern Ireland are particularly concerned the police would have enough resources to deal with the present crime challenges facing the police service here.” He goes on to say “there comes a point when political archaeology doesn’t make terribly much sense and he thinks there is a lot to be said for Northern Ireland drawing a line”.
I’d like Maurice Hayes to explain where he thinks that “drawn line” should begin and end? Will that line also pertain to Irish Republicans like Gerry McGeough, arrested on trumped-up charges dating back as far as 25 years ago, or Roisin McAliskey? What sense and abuse of funds does it make in pursing a case against either Irish Republican especially when they have failed to produce any concrete evidence pertaining to these charges over the years?
Maurice Hayes’ statement only goes to prove that when it comes to Irish justice there remains a double standard. One standard for the British government and RUC and one for Irish Republicans. Why don’t they practice what they preach?
Helen McClafferty
June 18th.........
Dear Minister for Justice Lenihan,
Please do not allow the Garda to lend assistance to the RUC/PSNI in the case of any Irish Republican from the north of Ireland, especially in the case of Mr. Gerry McGeough from County Tyrone, NI.
Mr. McGeough, an Independent who ran on an anti-RUC/PSNI campaign back in March 2007, was arrested while at the polls the day after the election on trumped up charges dating back 25 years ago. The RUC has not been able to make a case against Mr. McGeough and they are now seeking assistance from the Garda in the south of Ireland to make a case for them?
As you already know, Mr. McGeough will face a Diplock Court if the RUC/PSNI decide to make him stand trial, even though they have not been able to substantiate the charges since March 2007.
As an American citizen, of Irish descent, I have had the opportunity to be an observer on many occasions over the years at several Diplock court hearings and they have been nothing more than a "kangaroo court" to railroad Irish Republicans in the past.
Please look into this matter and I ask you to seriously consider not giving any assistance to the RUC/PSNI in this particular case, especially. It is nothing more than a witch hunt and pure harassment because Mr. McGeough did not buy into the supposedly newly reformed RUC and spoke out against it during his election campaign.
I would appreciate your reply with regard to this matter. If you need more information regarding Gerry McGeough, please go to his web site "freegerry.com" and it will give you an overview of what took place at his arrest and where he stands now.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Helen McClafferty
3B River Road
Nutley, NJ 07110
USA
March 17th........."Independent republican Gerry McGeough campaigned against the backing of the RUC/PSNI and giving more concessions to Paisley’s DUP. The RUC/PSNI sent a message to republicans by arresting him at the election count on trumped up charges from 25 years ago that only a British Diplock court would entertain. He is being held at Maghaberry prison and denied bail. The backing for the RUC/PSNI was definitely misguided and Gerry's arrest on a fabricated 1981 charge proves he was right that the RUC/PSNI is determined to do away with anyone who opposes and speaks out against them. He lives with his wife and three children in Tyrone"
....Helen McClafferty and Martin Galvin, Esq.
FREE TYRONE'S GERRY
MCGEOUGH
McGeough Arrest Politically Motivated
Independent
Candidate Gerry McGeough, who ran on an anti-PSNI platform in Fermanagh/Tyrone,
was arrested by the RUC the day after the election and is being charged with a
political offense he was supposed to have committed 25 years ago. He is being
held at the Antrim
Interrogation Center.
Throughout the campaign Gerry argued that the RUC/PSNI had inflicted collusion
murder torture and perjury in the name of British rule and should not receive
the backing or cooperation of any true Irishman or woman. Now the question
every Irish Republican and Nationalist should be asking themselves is what has
changed with the policing in the north of Ireland? Gerry McGeough, an
ex-IPOW, who wants peace in a united Ireland and decided to work within the
democratic process by running for office, is a prime example of what the RUC is
still all about. It's quite clear, by the politically motivated arrest of Gerry
McGeough, that any republican not following British "party line" will
now be, once again, subjected to intimidation tactics, arrest and maybe even
torture by the RUC/PSNI. The backing of the RUC/PSNI was a mistake and Gerry's
arrest on a fabricated 1981 charge proves he was right that the RUC/PSNI is determined
to do away with anyone who opposes and speaks out against them.
HELP TO FREE GERRY MCGEOUGH
Contact Helen McClafferty for details
(201) 372-0333
32CSM Condemn
Politically Motivated Arrest of Gerry McGeough
32CSM
• 8 March
The 32 County Sovereignty
Movement condemns the politically motivated arrest of assembly candidate Gerry
McGeough outside Omagh Leisure Centre on
Thursday 8th March.
This disgraceful
arrest is not only an attack on his mandate and on the nationalist people but
is also a clear message that the RUC/PSNI hasn't changed and despite assertions
from Provisional Sinn Fein the RUC will still carry out political policing
functions at the behest of the British security establishment.
This arrest is quite
clearly a shot across the bows of Mr Adams and his party and a reminder that
they must fully endorse British law in Ireland and the political
establishment that enacts such laws.
The timing of this
arrest is irrefutable evidence of political policing and the fact that it was
carried out just after the election as opposed to prior to elections clearly
indicates political intervention by the British security establishment. It
further underlines the folly of nationalist endorsement of British policing in Ireland.
McGeough Arrest Politically
Motivated
Helen McClafferty • 9 March
The arrest of Gerry McGeough, an Independent candidate who ran for election in
Fermanagh/South Tyrone on an anti-PSNI platform, is a blatant act of arrogance
on the part of the RUC and one can't help but believe that his arrest was most
definitely politically motivated.
Gerry McGeough, one of the most charismatic, highly educated and intelligent
Republican candidates to emerge on the political scene since the signing of the
Stormont Agreement, has been an outspoken opponent to Sinn Fein's acceptance of
the PSNI. It is really amazing how the arrest took place the day after the
elections rather than before. Was the PSNI afraid if they arrested Gerry prior
to the election he would have won even more votes based on
Nationalist/Republican sympathy alone?
If the PSNI "is only doing it's duty
investigating serious crime" then why haven't they arrested and detained
members of Sinn Fein and the DUP for supposedly alleged serious actions of
theirs in the past? One can’t help
believe that since Sinn Fein has now endorsed the RUC/PSNI that it has given
them a new sense of arrogance and confidence in going after republicans who
speak out against them. I wouldn’t want
to believe that Sinn Fein negotiated with the British for "amnesty for
themselves alone" and not for any republicans who do not follow their
party-line?
Election and Arrests
Republican
Sinn Fein • 12 March
Michael McManus - RSF candidate for Fermanagh/South Tyrone - has called the
arrest and subsequent charging of both Gerry McGeough and Vincie McAnepsie as a
disgrace and a shameful exercise on the part of the British to show who really
is the boss.
The election results,
and in particular the successful effort on the part of the censors within the
media to prevent any airing of the Republican viewpoint, has emboldened the
enemies of Irish Republicans, and those who chose to vote for the Provos and
the SDLP should now hang their heads in shame.
We warned that a vote
for either party was a vote to support this armed wing of the Crown Forces: now
clearly as a result of that vote, Gerry and Vincie are just the first two who
are now being held to account for their Republicanism.
We acknowledge and
thank those near 1,250 voters who chose to oppose the RUC by voting for RSF or
Gerry McGeough and we go forward in the belief that we must build on that
support to ensure that electorally the Republican Movement continues to
challenge all enemies of the Republic.
We send solidarity
greetings to both the McGeough and the McAnepsie families in this difficult
time for them.
NIFC Statement regarding the detention of Gerry McGeough
-- 15ú Márta
2007
The National Irish Freedom
Committee condemns the arrest and detention of Gerry McGeough, Stormont
candidate for Fermanagh, South Tyrone. On the day of the election count ,
McGeough was arrested while leaving the count of the ballots, held for several
days, and subsequently charged with attempted murder for an incident that
occurred 1981.
This arrest cannot be seen as
anything but politically motivated, in light of it’s timing, which coincided
with the day of election count, as well as the fact that new forensic tests have
linked several high profile members of Provisional Sinn Fein with more serious
allegations, yet they have not been arrested. McGeough had based his campaign
platform on opposing Provisional Sinn Fein’s decision to encourage republicans
to join the British police force, ironically arguing that the police force,
functioning solely to further the British political agenda, was so corrupt that
it could not be fixed, even from within. Unfortunately for McGeough and his
family, his arrest has demonstrated that his concern was well-founded. Although
the Provisional Sinn Fein party has condemned the arrest, their words are
hollow, as they continue to urge republicans to join this "impartial" police
force.
This St. Patrick’s Day, the ironies
continue.
While Gerry McGeough will be
sitting in jail, the people in charge of the armed struggle in 1981, and the
Provisional Sinn Fein party today, will be feted at the White House, and sitting
in Madison Square Garden, watching a boxing match in New York.
Their job will be to provide a green wash for the ugly face of
the unchanged British occupied six county sectarian politics.
However, the ongoing protests for political status by Irish
political prisoners in H.M. Maghaberry Prison in the six counties and
in Portlaoise in
the 26 counties because they oppose British rule in Ireland shows clearly that
the more things seem to change in Ireland, the more they remain the
same.
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