Victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism fearful key report won’t be published

Victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism have said they are devastated that the UK Government might not honour a commitment to publish the findings of a crucial new report.
By Mark Rainey
Published 9th Aug 2020, 17:08 BST
US and other victims of Colonel Gaddafi-sponsored terrorism have been compensated, but not those from the UKUS and other victims of Colonel Gaddafi-sponsored terrorism have been compensated, but not those from the UK
US and other victims of Colonel Gaddafi-sponsored terrorism have been compensated, but not those from the UK

Libyan leader Muanmar Gaddafi (or Qadhafi) suppled shipments of weapons and Semtex explosives to the IRA during the 1980s, as well as supporting terrorists targeting the US and other countries.

UK victims have not yet been compensated by the Libyan government – unlike those from the US, France and Germany.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

An estimated £12 billion worth of Libyan assets linked to Colonel Gaddafi are frozen in the UK and, in October of last year, the UK Government revealed it was engaged in a “scoping exercise” to examine the possibility that compensation could be paid to IRA victims.

However, it has now been revealed that a report compiled by Foreign Office special representative William Shawcross might not be published in full – or even partially published.

Jonathan Ganesh, who was seriously injured when the IRA bombed London’s docklands in 1996, said victims are “confused, devastated and heartbroken” that the UK Government appears to have “back tracked on it’s promise”.

The latest development came to light in a government response to a House of Lords question posed by Ulster Unionist peer Sir Reg Empey.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Having considered Lord Empey’s request for information around a likely publication date for the report, government representative Baroness Sugg said that “ministers will consider the report in detail in due course, including whether to publish any elements of it”.

Susanne Dodd, whose police inspector father Stephen Dodd was killed in an IRA bomb left at Harrods in London in 1983, said: “How can the government, who claim they care for victims of terrorism, refuse to give this report to the victims?”

Kenny Donaldson of Innocent Victims United has also called for the report to be made available to prevent further “pain and hardship”.

Mr Donaldson said: “The truth is that the UK Government has never prioritised UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, nor indeed victims of terror in any circumstance

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This afternoon I have spoken to a number of victims impacted by Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and they are appalled by the contempt with which the UK Government is treating them.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor