Republicans seem to be allowed to be above law, or certainly to operate outside the norms of decency

Naomi Long, our justice minister, is allowing the convicted terrorist Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein to escape sanction over his vile Maze escape tweets.
By Alex Kane
Published 26th Nov 2020, 11:45 BST
Updated 26th Nov 2020, 11:54 BST
Gerry Kelly MLA seen in February of this year at the Northern Ireland Policing Board meeting in the board's offices, Clarendon Dock, Belfast. Picture: Philip Magowan /PressEyeGerry Kelly MLA seen in February of this year at the Northern Ireland Policing Board meeting in the board's offices, Clarendon Dock, Belfast. Picture: Philip Magowan /PressEye
Gerry Kelly MLA seen in February of this year at the Northern Ireland Policing Board meeting in the board's offices, Clarendon Dock, Belfast. Picture: Philip Magowan /PressEye

Almost every day it seems to me that republicans are above the law, such as after the Bobby Storey funeral, or certainly that they are allowed to operate outside the norms of decency.

It also seems to me that the Alliance Party often side with Sinn Fein on key matters. They joined with them and other parties to demand an Irish language act and joined with them and other parties to demand an open Irish land border (which has led to a border in the Irish Sea).

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We learned at the weekend that they have allied with Sinn Fein, SDLP and Green Party to demand yet another inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane (after all the previous investigations into that killing).

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Letter to the editor

This is odd as, despite searching, I am unable to find an instance where Alliance have linked up with the DUP and UUP to demand an inquiry into the the assassination of judges, or the firebombing of innocents at La Mon, or into other PIRA atrocities.

After the announcement of the results of the EU elections we witnessed Naomi Long MEP hugging the former bomber Martina Anderson of Sinn Fein. Ms Anderson claimed she had ‘vote managed’ for Alliance.

Mrs Long was not justice minister then but even so the embrace will have been upsetting for many IRA victims, given that Ms Anderson is one of the most vocal members of SF when it comes to public tributes to past republican terrorism.

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In 2018, the News Letter published a powerful series of essays, Stop the Legacy Scandal. Some of the stories were harrowing and almost every contributor supported the fact that legacy was one sided and was helping the PIRA to rewrite history.

However, Stephen Farry, Alliance’s deputy leader, wrote a piece for the paper at that time saying that the legacy imbalance was a myth!

He has since become MP for North Down, a constituency which is home to many ex servicemen, he recently voted against a bill, which the government insists is designed to stop vexatious prosecution of British soldiers and veterans.

Tom Nash, Derriaghy

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Related topics:Sinn FeinMartina AndersonStephen Farry