RUC ‘collusive’ findings: WATCH as DUP man denounces IRA while speaker Alex Maskey tries to rein him in for ‘going off-topic’

There were emotive scenes on the floor of Stormont today as unionists one after the other rose to defend the record of the RUC.
By Adam Kula
Published 8th Feb 2022, 17:08 BST
Updated 8th Feb 2022, 22:55 BST
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One of them – Mervyn Storey – was visibly angry and appeared to shake with emotion as he appealed for the “vilification” of the force to end.

It comes after the latest Police Ombudsman’s report into historic crimes – this time a sucession of eight different loyalist attacks which claimed 11 lives in total during in the 1990s, the worst single one of which was the killing of five civilians by the UDA in an Ormeau Road bookies in 1992.

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Ombudsman Marie Anderson “found no evidence that police were in possession of intelligence which if acted on, could have prevented any of the attacks”.

Nonetheless she found “collusive behaviours”.

MORE ON THAT HERE – WATCH: Unionists rally to defend RUC amid fresh ‘collusive’ findings against it

When it came his time to speak, Mr Storey said: “I have a brother who has proudly served in the RUC Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve and as a part-time PSNI officer for 41 years.

“I thank God every day that he is still alive.

Bosco Kennedy, whose 15-year-old brother James Kennedy, was killed in the attack on Sean Graham's Bookmakers, holds a copy of the Police Ombudsman???s report into Police handling of loyalist paramilitaries murders and attempted murders in south Belfast in the period 1990 to 1998, at Shaftesbury Recreation Centre, Ormeau Road, Belfast. Picture date: Monday February 7, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Loyalists. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA WireBosco Kennedy, whose 15-year-old brother James Kennedy, was killed in the attack on Sean Graham's Bookmakers, holds a copy of the Police Ombudsman???s report into Police handling of loyalist paramilitaries murders and attempted murders in south Belfast in the period 1990 to 1998, at Shaftesbury Recreation Centre, Ormeau Road, Belfast. Picture date: Monday February 7, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Loyalists. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Bosco Kennedy, whose 15-year-old brother James Kennedy, was killed in the attack on Sean Graham's Bookmakers, holds a copy of the Police Ombudsman???s report into Police handling of loyalist paramilitaries murders and attempted murders in south Belfast in the period 1990 to 1998, at Shaftesbury Recreation Centre, Ormeau Road, Belfast. Picture date: Monday February 7, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Loyalists. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

“Because, sadly, many other families heard the knock on the door and a masked terrorist shot them through the head or in the back.

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“Sadly, there are people in the chamber, elected to public office, who have glorified those heinous crimes; who have covered up; who have been involved in collusive behaviour; and who have not told the police all that they know about what happened.

“Today, I call on them to search their conscience.

“The party opposite has supported and glorified the IRA, a murderous machine that cost lives and created orphans, and whose members could not even tell families from their own community the truth about where they buried their loved ones.

“Is it not time that we had the truth? Members from the party opposite always like to talk to us about truth and justice...”

At this point, he gestured with a shaking hand across the chamber to Sinn Fein’s MLAs, and as he continued, speaker Alex Maskey interjected to warn that he had “strayed very, very far” from the purpose of the debate – namely, to discuss the ombudsman’s report.

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Speakers of the Assembly, of whom Mr Maskey is the most recent incumbent, act in a neutral fashion; this means that whilst in the speaker’s chair they place their party affiliation in abeyance.

“Mr Speaker I’m not questioning your authority, but it’s all part of our dark past,” Mr Storey replied when challenged.

“If we are to have the truth about what happened with the members of the RUC, we are also going to have to have the truth about what happened with the members of the IRA...”

As he was warned he was out of time, Mr Storey concluded: “I commend the RUC, and I trust and pray that its vilification will come to an end.”

More from this reporter:

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Click here: DUP brother of UDA sectarian murder victim Gavin Brett breaks 20 year silence

Click here: ‘If police could stop Al Capone a century ago, they can stop SEA UDA today’ – Sammy Wilson hits out as inquest reveals tragic last days of Carrick loyalist Mark Gourley

Click here: Irish-American politician Kevin J Boyle: I condemn only IRA ‘errors’ like Kingsmills

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