IRA campaign was vicious with strong sectarian influences

“Notable exceptions” is not an accurate characterisation of the IRA’s pre-meditated murder of civilians – it wasn’t a policy exception, it was a policy of rule which was implemented with chilling effect.

Sean O’Callaghan, former IRA terrorist writing in his own book, The Informer openly stated his revulsion of the sectarian emphasis of the IRA’s campaign as it moved beyond attacking British military targets to that of anyone who could be viewed to be pro-British in disposition or indeed, simply disagree with its’ ‘ourselves alone’ agenda.

People need to analyse facts and not to risk becoming cheerleaders for republican revisionism.

Tullyvallen, Kingsmills, Enniskillen, William Heenan, Rathfriland, the failed bomb at Tullyhommon, La Mon, Teebane, the murder of Protestants along our borderlands in land grab efforts, Birmingham, Warrington ... The list goes on of those murdered in pre-meditated terror attacks.

These civilian deaths could not be viewed as ‘notable exception’ – Peter Taylor could perhaps show humility by actually apologising for the impact of what he has said on victims whilst also re-configuring his thinking so that going forward he speaks accurately.

Innocent Victims United and others will not acquiesce in the overt or covert rewriting of our history.

In the context of Northern Ireland there was never a justification for the taking of life in the advance of or defence of a so-called political objective.

The terrorist campaign which raged for the best part of four decades was vicious and had strong sectarian and ethnic influences – there was no honour in what one neighbour did to another.

Kenny Donaldson, Spokesman, Innocent Victims United