The different treatment of the IRA funeral is just the latest corruption of society by the peace process

A letter from Samuel Morrison:
By Samuel Morrison
Published 2nd Apr 2021, 12:28 BST
Updated 2nd Apr 2021, 12:32 BST
IRA murders and other major crimes, such as the largest bank robbery in British history (at the Northern Bank in Belfast, seen above the day after), were mere bumps in the road. Picture Pacemaker December 2004IRA murders and other major crimes, such as the largest bank robbery in British history (at the Northern Bank in Belfast, seen above the day after), were mere bumps in the road. Picture Pacemaker December 2004
IRA murders and other major crimes, such as the largest bank robbery in British history (at the Northern Bank in Belfast, seen above the day after), were mere bumps in the road. Picture Pacemaker December 2004

The fall out from the Bobby Storey funeral is but the latest in a series of wake up calls to the people of Northern Ireland as to how the much vaunted peace process has corrupted society here.

IRA murders — like those of Paul Quinn and Robert McCartney — and other major crimes, such as the largest bank robbery in British history, were mere bumps in the road which caused outrage for a little while and then it was back to business as usual.

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Set in that context why wouldn’t we expect the PSNI to afford an IRA man’s funeral special treatment?

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

Why wouldn’t the PSNI assume that Sinn Fein are above the law when the whole premise of the peace process is that the crimes committed when on IRA service are somehow different from ‘normal’ crimes?

Why wouldn’t the PSNI system not treat republicans differently when it came to the funeral of a terrorist when they treated them differently when it came to on the run letters?

Why should a justice system that has been contorted out of any shape which would be remotely recognisable in a normal society time without number to accommodate Sinn Fein believe that it shouldn’t just twist again after the latest scandal?

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There is no doubt that the PPS and PSNI face major questions about the Bobby Storey funeral scandal but perhaps the biggest questions we all have to confront arise from the process which made it all conceivable in the first place.

Samuel Morrison, TUV Dromore Co Down

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Related topics:IRANorthern IrelandPSNI