<HTML><PRE>Subj:	Fwd: Irish News 09 January
Date:	98-01-09 09:23:03 EST
From:	Buni1957
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Forwarded Message: 
Subj:	 Irish News 09 January
Date:	98-01-09 08:00:43 EST
From:	paddyn@erols.com (Paddy Newell)
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From The Irish News 09 January 1998
http://www.irishnews.com

************************************************
Lawyers urged to report 'RUC harassment'
Talks to kick off with political assessment
Andrews move may ensure loyalist talks presence
Press given access to prisoners inside Maze
Sinn Fein dissidents held on bomb haul
***********************************************

Lawyers urged to report 'RUC harassment'

By Peter McVerry

     NORTHERN Ireland lawyers who claim that they have been harassed by
     the RUC have been asked to submit their complaints to their
     professional body.

     The move comes just two months after the Law Society was heavily
     criticised by a leading United Nations lawyer for not doing more
     to protect its solicitors from alleged police threats.

     A notice in the January edition of The Writ, the magazine of the
     Law Society of Northern Ireland, says the decision has been taken
     to implement a more formal system of complaint for solicitors to
     report and register their concerns.

     The notice invites solicitors with complaints about the RUC, the
     Prison Service or any agency within either the criminal or civil
     justice system to write to the society president with details.

     The notice reads: "In the context of renewed debate about
     allegations of verbal intimidation of solicitors or their clients,
     by members of the RUC, the Society has confirmed its concern to
     ensure that solicitors are not subject to any treatment in the
     course of their professional duties which would impugn or threaten
     their independence, professionalism and integrity."

     One of the main examples pointed to by those who allege loyalist
     paramilitary-RUC collusion is the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor
     Pat Finucane.

     Mr Finucane, a leading human rights solicitor, was gunned down in
     his home by UFF gunmen in February 1989.

     In a statement the loyalists claimed that the high-profile
     solicitor had been a member of the IRA, a claim which has always
     been totally refuted.

     His death caused a major controversy, coming just three weeks
     after the then Home Office minister Douglas Hogg told the House of
     Commons that certain Northern Ireland lawyers were "unduly
     sympathetic" to paramilitary organisations.

     Shortly after his murder, evidence emerged that security forces
     were aware that an attempt was to be made on Mr Finucane's life
     but no effort was made to warn him.

     Last night a spokesman for Derry-based human rights organisation
     the Pat Finucane Centre, named after the murdered solicitor, gave
     the move a guarded welcome.

     "We welcome the fact that the Law Society has belatedly recognised
     the reality on the ground and that is that defence solicitors
     suffer unwarranted and daily harassment while merely trying to do
     their job.

     "Another welcome step would be for the Law Society to finally take
     a position and call for an independent inquiry into the death of
     Pat Finucane, as has already been done by numerous international
     human rights organisations."

     That call has most recently been made by Data Param Cumaraswamy, a
     leading United Nations lawyer who spent 10 days in the north and
     London in October 1997 gathering information on the intimidation
     and harassment of defence lawyers.

     "I feel that there are compelling reasons for an independent
     inquiry into the Patrick Finucane murder. From the material I have
     seen so far there appears to be some suspicion, some doubt as to
     whether there was security forces involvement.

     "That suspicion, that doubt has not been allayed to date," he
     said.

     In his report Mr Cumaraswamy criticised the Law Society for not
     doing more to protect its solicitors from police threats.

     "The Law Society has not really discharged its role to protect and
     come to the defence of the small number of lawyers who suffered in
     silence all those years."

     An RUC spokesman said that if any formal complaints were made
     against the force they would, as always, be rigorously
     investigated.

__________________________________

Talks to kick off with political assessment

By William Graham
Political Correspondent

     THE Stormont political talks will go ahead on Monday with or
     without loyalist participation - and both governments will be keen
     that the parties get down to serious negotiations.

     The SDLP, Ulster Unionists, Sinn Fein, Alliance, Women's Coalition
     and Labour are certain to be at Castle Buildings under the
     chairmanship of former US Senator George Mitchell.

     But at this stage it is unclear what exactly will be the order of
     business on Monday as a decision has yet to be taken on whether
     the British and Irish governments should table what are called
     'lead papers' on the three strands.

     It is possible that disagreement on agenda issues will be put to
     one side and the parties will be allocated time to make a
     contribution about the present political situation and how the
     talks should proceed.

     The planned time-table schedules a business committee meeting for
     10am on Monday and a strand one plenary at 2pm. On Tuesday strand
     two will commence at 1O.30am and on Wednesday the decommissioning
     sub-committee is due to meet.

     The SDLP, backed up by the Alliance Party, has been making a
     strong case for both governments to push the talks forward by
     tabling lead papers rather than returning to old arguments over
     agenda items.

     The Women's Coalition also wants a push forward and believes that
     the current violence and fear of violence should spur elected
     politicians into action.

     It is still hoped that the loyalist PUP and UDP will remain in the
     talks. Much will depend on the outcome of Mo Mowlam's visit to the
     Maze prison today.

     Their absence need not mean the collapse of the entire process.
     Talks will continue even if the loyalist parties were to withdraw.
     However, the UUP could encounter difficulties at a later stage in
     the process when votes were called if it could not count on the
     support of one of the loyalist parties.

     For sufficient consensus in a vote the UUP would need the support
     of one loyalist party and the SDLP plus two other parties.

     The Ulster Unionists need to have the loyalists' backing and while
     the talks could continue in the absence of the PUP and UDP no
     votes could be taken.

     In the worst scenario - if the talks ran into serious difficulty
     about sufficient consensus - legislation might be needed to alter
     the current talks formula.

     Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Forum will discuss latest
     political developments at its meeting today.
_____________________________

Andrews move may ensure loyalist talks presence

By William Graham
Political Correspondent

     THE Irish government has bowed to loyalist pressure over
     confidence-building measures and will now attend all meetings of a
     talks committee dealing with the issue.

     The initiative is crucial in trying to woo the two loyalist
     parties, the PUP and UDP, back to the talks.

     It is not known if the loyalist parties will attend negotiations
     on Monday but the intervention yesterday by Irish Foreign Minister
     David Andrews could be enough to swing the balance towards full
     participation.

     In a speech yesterday, Mr Andrews underlined the future role and
     importance of the Stormont talks confidence-building committee
     which will now be attended by Irish and British ministers.

     One of the complaints from loyalist politicians is that they were
     not informed in advance that the Irish government was releasing
     republican prisoners, even though a document from Dublin
     signalling its future intentions had been presented to this
     particular committee at the end of November.

     However, Mr Andrews sent a strong signal to the loyalists about
     the handling of future confidence-building measures.

     He said: "The Irish government recognises that progress towards a
     political settlement depends crucially on the building of
     confidence in both communities in Northern Ireland.

     "Confidence-building measures have a key role to play in the talks
     process where we have created a special sub-committee to deal with
     that.

     "I look forward to a more active role for the sub-committee where
     the Irish government will be very happy to set down our policies
     under the various headings".
_____________________________

Press given access to prisoners inside Maze

By Brendan Anderson

     THE GATES of one of Europe's most formidable prisons were thrown
     open yesterday, not to allow inmates out but to permit the media
     in to test security.

     Governor Martin Mogg, who took over the job of running the jail
     just three months ago, said he had invited journalists,
     photographers and camera crews in to disprove allegations that
     prisoners were in control of HMP Maze.

     For several hours journalists had the run of H-block 7, which
     houses loyalist UFF and UDA men, and the nearby H-block 8 where
     IRA men are held. An atmosphere of cautious - and mutual -
     suspicion evaporated in H-8 as it became clear no resentment was
     to be shown to the 'hack-pack'.

     Loyalists, although latecomers to the public relations game,
     welcomed reporters on arrival at their wings and lined up to shake
     hands and wish them luck as they departed an hour later. In
     between, bemused journos were offered tea, chocolate biscuits and
     reasoned argument.

     Among the dozen or so white tea-cups provided was a huge blue mug
     with the legend "Stoner" - Michael Stone's jail nick-name -
     printed on the side. While many reporters accepted the loyalists'
     hospitality, none dared to sip from Mr Stone's property and it
     remained untouched by journalistic lips.

     Stone, sentenced to life imprisonment for a series of sectarian
     murders in the 1980s, told the press he preferred to discuss
     conditions in the jail rather than outside politics.

     He did, however, express admiration for the daughter of one of his
     victims, Sinn Fein member Paddy Brady, whom he had heard being
     interviewed on the radio early yesterday. The young woman told her
     interviewer she applauded Mo Mowlam's decision to talk to loyalist
     prisoners today.

     "I felt for her," Stone said. "She was very brave on the radio and
     it must have been very difficult for her, in the same way it is
     difficult for loyalists thinking of Kelly, the Shankill bomber.

     "I suppose if Mo Mowlam met him, loyalists would not be too happy
     about it. But that girl seems a bit bigger than politicians who
     have criticised this meeting. I can't take away her hurt. I would
     not be as presumptuous to take away anybody's hurt. Of course, all
     deaths are regrettable, but I'm a volunteer, a soldier. If there
     was no war I wouldn't be here," he said.

     Johnny Adair, loathed and feared by north Belfast Catholics and
     idolised by young Shankill Road militants, kept a low profile,
     preferring to leave the talking to Michael Stone, Bobby Philpott,
     Glenn 'Titch' Cunningham and Sam McCrory.

     Somewhat surprisingly, the views of loyalists coincided on a
     number of issues with their opposite numbers across "the camp", as
     both sides refer to the prison.

     Recent adverse publicity surrounding the jail in the tabloid press
     had caused anger and frustration to republicans and loyalists.

     Michael Stone, who will be released on parole to be married in the
     summer, said his fiancee had been embarrassed and annoyed by
     tabloid newspaper claims that prisoners had access to drink and
     drugs and often had sex with their wives and girlfriends during
     visits.

     "There is no truth in these stories at all. The men may have a
     kiss or a cuddle with their wives but that is as far as it goes.
     Anyone who knows the visiting area, with prison officers around
     and so many children running around, would know that sort of thing
     is just not on."

     Over in H-Block 8, the jail's republican leader, Padraic Wilson,
     agreed that sensational newspapers reports had got it wrong.

     "They claimed that republicans regularly formed a pyramid of 12
     men to get block OCs over the wire where they jumped down onto a
     mattress in the next compound where they met other men to attend
     staff meetings.

     "If it was as easy as that to get out, I would not be here in
     front of you. I would be on the outside trying to do my duty," he
     said.

     Padraic Wilson said he recognised the responsibility of the
     prison's managers to keep inmates on the inside.

     "But it is our duty, as political prisoners, to get out. To stage
     an escape whenever we can and we have only managed that once -
     Liam Averil - since l983. This is what the ongoing battle between
     us and them is all about."

     Mr Wilson said republican prisoners had remained relatively
     untouched by the recent dissension within the movement on the
     outside. IRA prisoners, he said, fully backed the organisation's
     leadership and the efforts of Sinn Fein in the current peace
     process.

     Both sides derided claims that use of mobile telephones was rife
     in the Maze. And to prove their point, media people attending the
     jail in recent days found the newly-installed electronic block
     system forced them to walk up to 100 yards from the prison's
     perimeter to use their mobiles.

     Security at the prison yesterday was impressive, with reporters
     and photographers being held in "air-locks" as they waited for
     gates to be locked behind them before being permitted to move on
     to the next compound.

     In the administrative building, prison officers, no matter how
     high ranking or well-known, had to identify themselves by staff
     number and log on or off before being allowed in and out of the
     premises.

     Every officer going on or off duty was searched, physically and
     electronically.

     The governor, Mr Mogg seemed satisfied with his day's work and
     appeared relaxed, if a little relieved as he ushered the last
     intruders from his jail.

     Asked if he was worried about the cacophony of calls for his
     resignation, he replied: "No, not at all. Mind you, a few days
     ago, I might have felt like saying, 'OK, let's go'."

_____________________________

Sinn Fein dissidents held on bomb haul

By Michael O'Toole
Dublin Correspondent

     AT least two members of the newly formed 32 County Sovereignty
     Committee were being questioned last night after Gardai uncovered
     one and a half tonnes of commercial explosives at a Co Dublin
     port.

     Sources confirmed their identities as Joe Dillon and Eamon
     Flanagan, who were both arrested early yesterday morning. The two
     are also members of Sinn Fein.

     Two other people were also arrested after the huge explosives find
     in a disused fish shop in Howth, Co Dublin.

     Police believe the material, consisting of more than 330 sacks of
     fertiliser and chemicals, had been stored at Howth before being
     transferred to the north or Britain.

     The men can be held for 48 hours when they must be either released
     or charged.

     The police move in Howth came after the surveillance of a number
     of individuals attached to the rebel group and known to have been
     caught up in terrorist activities ahead of the IRA ceasefire.

     A security source said: "We have been keeping tabs on a number of
     people, and today's developments are a consequence of that."

     The 32 County Committee, made up mostly of Sinn Fein members, was
     set up to campaign, amongst other things, against the party's
     decision to sign up to the Mitchell Principles, which it says
     gives unionists a veto.

     Its most high profile member is Bernadette Sands McKevitt, sister
     of hunger striker Bobby Sands.

     In an interview yesterday, Ms Sands McKevitt denounced the peace
     process as a deception and called on Sinn Fein to withdraw from
     Stormont.
<FONT  COLOR="#0f0f0f" BACK="#fffffe" SIZE=3>

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