Clonoe appeal vital to pushback on one-sided legacy process, says DUP's Gavin Robinson as unionist leaders welcome legal challenge
Challenging the Clonoe verdict is vital in pushing back against “a one-sided legacy process, where those who stood against terrorism face relentless legal pursuit”.
That’s according to DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP, who spoke as unionist leaders welcomed the Ministry of Defence’s plans to appeal last month’s ruling by a coroner.
“Those who served in the fight against terrorism must not be criminalised for doing their duty,” he said. “To portray this operation as an unjustified killing is a grave distortion of both the facts and the moral context of that time.
“The notion that these highly dangerous individuals posed no threat is absurd.
“We fully support the ministry’s judicial review and commend the decision to also fund a parallel legal challenge on behalf of the veterans involved.
“Clonoe was not a peaceful protest, it was an active terror operation by armed IRA members who had just attacked a police station.
“The SAS intervention undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. The soldiers should be commended, not vilified.”
Describing the inquest ruling as “perverse”, TUV leader Jim Allister MP said he greatly welcomed moves to appeal it.
“Across the United Kingdom, inquests are defined as being for the purpose of finding out who the deceased was, and how, when and where they died,” he said.
“They are not trials and they are not about assigning blame, even when they are extended into Article 2 investigations, yet in Northern Ireland we have had findings of blame in respect of SAS soldiers killing active terrorists.”