February 2, 2006

Letter

Letters/Mála Poist

Fine Gael wrong on Ludlow

A Chara,

Brendan McGahon's appearance before the Seamus Ludlow inquiry is noteworthy for a number of reasons. Firstly he now admits he was wrong to blame the IRA for the killing of a fellow party member but, far from being outraged at having been so misinformed, he cannot even remember who it was that gave him this information.

Well let me try and jog your memory Brendan. The story of IRA responsibility has its origins with the British Army when they visited one of Seamus Ludlow's relatives in the days after the murder to place the blame on republicans. They were understandably anxious to distract the blame from their own agents and they had their pets in the Gardaí circulate the same story. And maybe even some of their pet politicians.

The sordid truth of this story is that yet again the 26 Counties had its sovereignty violated and its citizens murdered. The response of the state's security establishment was yet again to cover up for the perpetrators, acting against the interests and rights of their citizens and protecting the interests of a foreign power.

Your statement that the loyalists couldn't have been suspects because they were not active in the area flies in the face of the facts. Your position on the Ludlow murder and other events makes a mockery of your claims to have been standing for the Republic. You stood for nothing except British interests even in the face of the murder of a member of your own party.

Marie O'Callaghan,

Louth.