24 February 1997:

The Right to Know:
Relatives Call For Judicial Tribunal of Inquiry

The relatives of the victims of the bombing outrages perpetrated in Dublin and Monaghan on the 17th May, 1974 now call upon the Government to establish a Judicial Tribunal of Inquiry into the investigations carried out by An Garda Síochána and the Royal Ulster Constabulary following the bomb explosions in Dublin and Monaghan on the 17th May 1974 which caused such huge loss of life and injury to hundreds of people.

Over the years the relatives of the victims have received assurances from Government Ministers that all necessary steps had been taken to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of these crimes.

More than 22 years have elapsed and no-one has been brought to justice.

In recent times television documentaries and publications have asserted the involvement of elements of the British security forces with loyalist terrorists suspected of having carried out the bombings.

A great deal is known about how the bombings were carried out. It is known that the placing of the cars containing the bombs and the timing of the explosions were carried out with military precision.

Expert opinion available to the relatives indicates the involvement of personnel with sophisticated military training exhibiting the kind of expertise which, according to security intelligence, was not available to loyalist paramilitary organisations at the time.

It has been confirmed to the relatives by the Royal Ulster Constabulary that a list of suspects, compiled by An Garda Síochána, was made available to it and that a number of persons were arrested and interviewed in relation to the theft of the motor vehicles used in the bombing outrages in Belfast and in relation to the murders but that no prosecution was initiated against any individual.

Further that while co-operation was extended to the Gardaí by the Royal Ulster Constabulary the Royal Ulster Constabulary did not conduct any formal murder inquiry.

Several relatives of the victims have filed Complaints with the European Commission of Human Rights charging that the United Kingdom is in breach of its obligations under Article 2 of the Convention.

The complaints charge that the Royal Ulster Constabulary failed to take all necessary and appropriate steps to:-

1. To investigate and inquire into cases involving the unlawful deprivation of life.

2. To trace and prosecute offenders in cases involving the unlawful deprivation of life.

The relatives have sought information from the Garda Síochána in particular dealing with the steps taken by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the aftermath of the bombing outrages.

The relatives now call on the Irish Government to direct that all appropriate information on these matters be made available to the legal representatives of the relatives who have brought claims before the European Commission of Human Rights.

At this remove of time the relatives feel that they have a right to know what happened, why so little was done by the police forces on this island to bring the perpetrators of these mass murders to justice.