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Brighton bomber: I don’t want forgiveness but I feel regret
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Former IRA bomber Patrick Magee (right), who was convicted for the Grand Hotel bombing in Brighton, and Jo Berry, whose father was killed in the attack, inside the Grand Committee room at the House of Parliament, before taking part in a cross party discussion.
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Brighton bomber Patrick Magee showed no remorse for the atrocity as he appeared in Parliament last night and declared: “Why should I ask for forgiveness?”.
The convicted killer, responsible for the deaths of five people, sat shoulder to shoulder with the daughter of one of his victims and calmly explained he took his actions in full conscience.
Urged to finally apologise for the atrocity that also left 34 injured, including Lord Tebbit’s wife Margaret who has been confined to a wheelchair ever since, he defiantly told the crowd he did not know what repentance was.
Magee was attending an event seeking to promote reconciliation, much criticised for being timed to run the day after the 25th anniversary of the devastating blast.
Sitting on the platform in the majestic splendour of the Grand Committee room, the House of Commons’ second chamber, the former IRA man found himself answering questions in a room that represents the epitome of British democracy.
It is housed in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Parliamentary estate which has played a central role in British history and spawned the major institutions of the state including the law courts and various government offices.
Magee was sat with Jo Berry, daughter of MP Sir Anthony Berry, who was killed by the bombing of the Grand Hotel at the Conservative Party conference in 1984.
They have developed a friendship since Ms Berry secured a meeting with her father’s killer to question him in her desperate search for answers about his death.
Others in the crowd, however, have found it less easy to forgive, with one former military man, who lost colleagues in Northern Ireland, demanding that the former IRA man explained why he refuses to repent for his actions.
“I don’t understand repentance. I think it has a religious meaning but I can regret,” Magee said.
“Meeting Jo was never about forgiveness. It was always about trying to explain and trying to understand the hurt we have caused.
“I don’t think even a room full of people can agree on a meaning of that word (repentance).
“I have never asked for forgiveness. Why should I?
“I did what I did with full conscience. Yet I can feel regret.”
Magee insisted he had been a pacifist but all options became closed and that was why he turned to violence, he told a surprised gathering.
On joining the IRA as a 21-year-old he said: “I wondered was I even up to the task. I did a lot of soul searching about that. I was not a violent person.
“I had to convince myself that I could kill.”
Five were killed and 34 seriously injured in the blast. A memorial plaque was unveiled in Brighton in their honour on the 25th anniversary on Monday.
Last night’s event, on the 84th birthday of then Tory prime minister Baroness Thatcher, was chaired by Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes and billed as an “examination of the challenges of reconciliation after violence”.
The meeting, hosted by All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues, has been criticised by others affected by the bombing, including Lord Tebbit, who told the Belfast Telegraph that allowing Magee to go around asking for forgiveness while he remains unrepentant is like “hoisting up a flag for terrorists”.
Magee, immaculately but soberly turned out in a dark suit, blue tie and neatly trimmed beard, remained expressionless throughout.
Ms Berry gave a more emotional speech and talked of forgiveness, peace and trust, pleading for people to accept they may have made the same decisions Magee made too if they had been in the same position.
They were sentiments that seemed to go down well with the invited audience, which included a former prison governor, who now works with the families of murder victims, a university lecturer and a Scottish nationalist MP.
Ms Berry, who has been meeting her father's killer for the past nine years, opened the meeting by saying: “Coming back here is very emotional. I feel I've come back home. This was where I came with my beloved dad when I was little.”
When Sir Anthony was killed, she felt “the pain of war” but decided to focus on efforts for peace.
“I thought to myself I would like something positive to come out of this, I would like to find a way to contribute to peace. That gave me a sense that somehow I would be okay,” she said.
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Comments
46 Comments
I was working in a pub in Fleet St in London 25 years ago at the height of the miners strike when I heard a cheer coming from the end of the bar where the tv was. My immediate thoughts were that there was a football match on, but when I got to the end of the bar and looked up at the tv all I could see was a white building with a huge slice torn out of the middle of it.What,s that I asked one of the miners who were down collecting for their stirke fund. That,s Thatchers hotel he replied beaming. The Brighton bombing struck at the very heart of a goverment and a tyrannical leader who was not only opposed to the IRA but to the nationalist community as a whole and furthermore anyone in the UK who wouldn,t toe the right wing line. Let,s face it, she was responsible for the deaths of many innocent victims. Ms Berry is a remarkable woman and her strength and compassion should be a lesson to us all. there is good and bad everywhere. We should look for the good in order to defeat the bad.
Posted by Jack | 15.10.09, 21:28 GMT
Of course Jim is well educated - the mooching "Irish" man who gets educated by the British system, all his currency will have the Queen's face on it and all the perks being British has to offer, he sounds like every "give Ireland back to the Irish" moocher I have ever met - what Jim has not got is conviction - a Nationality Prostitute - he takes which ever nationality gives him the most, I love those pretend values the best - so when someone makes sick remarks just remember his values and give him the moochers pardon he deserves
Posted by Grainne | 15.10.09, 10:01 GMT
Ryan you will find my post was edited, however as I am Irish and english is my second language I think I made a good stab at it. I wonder what Cliffs excuse is?
Oh and Cliff the british army were never democratically elected either.
Posted by Jim | 15.10.09, 09:28 GMT
These are sick individuals who have no conscience and cannot feel remorse. The "Troubles" gave these individuals an opportunity to legitimize actions which would otherwise have put them in a mental institution for the criminally insane or jail for life. To give such a person a platform to speak and put them in the same room with the victims is unbelievable. Of course the entire N.I. situation is unbelievable as this is supposed to be a civilized society and not Afghanistan..........
That's a fair comment of the british
Posted by Jim | 15.10.09, 08:06 GMT
no repentence ,in afterlife no forgiveness this foolish person is compounding his crime and wont be as brave in front of his maker, i pity him and others like him
Posted by w. gould | 15.10.09, 06:33 GMT
I would have thought Magee's biggest regret was that he didn't get Thatcher.Let's be honest here ,she was and still is the most despised person by the whole of Ireland since Oliver Cromwell and justifiably so.
Posted by mik | 15.10.09, 04:44 GMT
Jim, It wont be a picture book, There'll be a whole lot of words in it, D'ya think you could manage to read one like that?
Posted by Stuart | 14.10.09, 22:59 GMT
Jim one should always be magnanimous toward one's enemies especially now that we are finally at peace.
No matter what 'side' you are/where on, taking pleasure in others suffering is repugnant.
P.S.
Your comments about Cliff's English skills would also have carried a lot more punch if you hadn't used three exclamation marks.
Pot calling Kettle. Colour check? Over.
Posted by Ryan | 14.10.09, 20:07 GMT
It is a sign of the strength, that is the English mentality, that the parliamentarians and others who were gathered there were able to let this ex-bomber express himself freely especially when his actions on that night was an direct attack against everything which they hold dear.
Posted by Sean, Omagh | 14.10.09, 17:58 GMT
Paul,
Your comment about the UK Government and bloody Sunday is very interesting.
I have found that generally in the nationalist community when the IRA kills someone it is a "military target"/"in the course of war" etc.
However, when the British Government decided to fight fire with fire, the British Government were viewed as "murderers".
How can one situation be "a military operation" and another be "murder"? Either they are both murder or they are not.
Posted by Luke | 14.10.09, 17:27 GMT
jim your sickness is you do not even know your sick i would feel sorry for any innocent party injured by some sadistic moron nomatter what the religion colour or creed you in the other hand seem to delight in it maybe if the person injured was related you might feel something ....i pity you
Posted by w. gould | 14.10.09, 17:12 GMT
The only reason that Magee is involved in this is to appease his guilty conscience. The IRA were never democratically elected anywhere. The UK Government and many others were and remain accountable at the ballot box unlike the IRA who were accountable to no one but their so called Army Council.
Inviting Magee to Parliament is like inviting Guy Fawkes round to the same building for coffee.
Posted by Cliff | 14.10.09, 16:10 GMT
These are sick individuals who have no conscience and cannot feel remorse. The "Troubles" gave these individuals an opportunity to legitimize actions which would otherwise have put them in a mental institution for the criminally insane or jail for life. To give such a person a platform to speak and put them in the same room with the victims is unbelievable. Of course the entire N.I. situation is unbelievable as this is supposed to be a civilized society and not Afghanistan..........
Posted by ex-pat | 14.10.09, 15:28 GMT
Jim: Should it not be "Seamus"?
You really have an astonishing chip on your shoulder about life. I assume your wonderful degree in computing was paid for by the British taxpayer. Certainly you do little credit to Patrick Magee, a man to whom you claim such admiration. I would think he would be disgusted by your bitter words, and all those of armchair revolutionaries who would never personally be "man" enough to go out and kill and do time for their beliefs. In your head the war will never end, wake up and grow up.
Posted by Emily | 14.10.09, 15:24 GMT
Although I detest Magee and his cohorts of violence, I do have to say it takes guts to stand-up before all these people and tell his side of the story. Although I don't agree with the IRA, these people where seen by the British Army as a formidable foe. Thankfully they have now seen the error of their ways, and that the political way is the best way.
Posted by Realist | 14.10.09, 14:55 GMT
jim youv already qualified as prat of the year your reward will come in a box marked handle carefully and you deserve it
Posted by william | 14.10.09, 14:44 GMT
Cliff,
A democratically elected government.....but not in Northern Ireland. I tihnk you need to brush up on UK governance.
BT,
Who was responsible for this article?
The article fails to note that this meeting points toward a route for reconcilliation can work.
Magee is correct in this regard (whatever your views). People are never going to forgive and he is not looking for it, however he does want people to understand why he undertook the actions he did (whether you agree or disagree with his reasoning it is still important to understand his thinking).
By understanding what was going on in individuals heads during those dark days maybe we could avoid repeating our mistakes (this applies to Unionists and Nationalists).
What we need is perspective and a wholesale shakeout of the mini-dictators and wanna be mini-dicatators running local political parties.
Posted by M S | 14.10.09, 14:43 GMT
says a lot for Magee`s understanding of democracy ie my way or no way.
As for your comment, Jim. Sick, don`t you think?
Posted by Cliff | 14.10.09, 13:20 GMT
Cliff says a lot for your understanding of english!!!
No I don't think it is sick. I admire Patrick Magee and if he brings a book out I will buy it.
Posted by Jim | 14.10.09, 14:34 GMT
Doco...."at the very least"....do you mean there,s more . ?
Posted by Sean O Brien | 14.10.09, 14:33 GMT
Cliff, is that the same democratically govt that shot 13 civiliansn in Derry, opened internment camps, tortured prisoners and supported loyalist terrorists to kill Catholic solicitors?
Posted by Paul | 14.10.09, 14:19 GMT
46 Comments