Letter: The IRA itself said in Provo speak - 'if you live by the sword you should expect to die by it'

Re Jeff Dudgeon’s 3,000 word critique of the Clonoe inquest verdict, which found the SAS had been unjustified in using lethal force against four IRA terrorists in Tyrone after they attacked Coalisland RUC station in 1992 (‘The government's legal challenge to coroner's flawed Clonoe inquest finding against the SAS is both welcome and essential,’ Monday March 24).

There has been a lack of context applied to the circumstances which pervaded at the time and in this particular incident, many people have been horrified by the retrospective judgement being placed upon soldiers who were presented with a particular complex set of circumstances.

The SAS are trained to eliminate risk and for the soldiers concerned their judgement was that the terrorists concerned presented real and immediate risk, having just returned from a terror mission.

Irish republicans are now seeking to recalibrate events by methods which stand in direct challenge to their own IRA Green book;

There reads: "Again all people wishing to join the Army must fully realise that when life is being taken, that very well could mean their own. If you go out to shoot soldiers or police you must fully realise that they too can shoot you."

In Provo speak, if you live by the sword you should also expect to die by the sword.

Over the years of the terrorist campaign there are several examples where legitimate security forces (police and army) were callously shot dead after they sought to arrest terrorists.

The UK government had to indicate its intention to mount a judicial review of the recent decision handed down by the coronial courts, they are aware that if they fail to offer the most basic of protections to those who applied the directive they were given that they will have a real challenge of recruiting would be soldiers of the future.

All life is sacred and we regret the loss of life of the terrorists concerned, to revel in their demise would debase our own humanity but we will not remain silent to the cries of so many across this country who feel the legal system is porous and an open goal for the narrative of terrorism to be advanced, this needs urgent recalibration.

Kenny Donaldson, South East Fermanagh Foundation