Tell US we are fighting IRA and loyalist killers

Local & National

Secretary of State wrote letter to ambassador after claims in States

Friday, December 28, 2007

By Graham Bardgett

Accusations that the RUC was not tough enough on loyalist terrorists were faced down in a letter from the then-Northern Ireland secretary of state to Britain's ambassador to America.

In the confidential letter, released under the 30-year rule for government documents, Secretary of State Roy Mason told Ambassador Peter Jay how the Government was dealing with loyalist violence as well as that from the IRA.

He also touched on Britain's 'special relationship' with America.

In a briefing for Mr Jay for the Washington and New York political circuits, Mr Mason wrote how the Government and the security forces were as " resolute in dealing with violence from Loyalist paramilitary organisations as with that from the IRA".

He wrote: "The following notes will provide you with a background brief which you might draw on if the question arises".

And he stated: "The policy of HM Government is that the law will be applied fairly and impartially to all sections of the community in Northern Ireland. The only criterion for the security forces therefore is whether the law has been broken.

"The security forces apply the law with equal determination to the terrorist criminals in both communities and their record speaks for itself."

But Mr Mason pointed out: "I should say it is not our normal practice to release figures on the sectarian attribution of responsibility for violence.

"The accusation, however, remains a common one, and if pressed you may wish to back up your rebuttal with statistical material".

During the first six months of 1977, violence from both sides was as follows: Loyalists had carried out 21 murders, 71 shootings, and 59 bombings.

Republicans had carried out 51 murders, 465 shootings, and 249 bombings.

Mr Mason told Ambassador Jay. "The majority of violent incidents continue to be the responsibility of the Provisional IRA and the balance of attention of the Security Forces is therefore directed towards the detection, arrest, and charging of members of that organisation".

And the Secretary of State underlined that "significant inroads against those responsible for acts of violence in both communities" had been made.

He said: "The expertise in criminal detection which the Royal Ulster Constabulary have developed and the dwindling support for the terrorist organisations in their own communities have enabled the security forces to achieve increasing success in arresting and charging criminals from both camps."

He went on to detail the numbers of loyalist and republicans charged with a range of terrorist offences.

Loyalists had been charged with 22 murders, 13 attempted murders, 62 firearms offences, 14 explosives offences and 150 other terrorist offences, totalling 261.

Republicans were charged with 35 murders, 61 attempted murders, 107 firearms offences, 62 explosives offences, and 158 other terrorist offences, totalling 423.