PM apology over IRA bomb jailings
Discussion
BBC News said:
Gerry Conlon has campaigned for a public apology
Tony Blair has apologised to two families who suffered one of the UK's biggest miscarriages of justice.
The prime minister was commenting on the wrongful jailing of 11 people for IRA bomb attacks on pubs in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974.
Mr Blair said: "I am very sorry that they were subject to such an ordeal and injustice."
He made the apology to members of the Conlon and Maguire families in his private room at Westminster.
In a statement recorded for television, Mr Blair said the families deserved "to be completely and publicly exonerated".
The families had hoped the apology would be made during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.
However, one of the so-called Guildford Four, Gerry Conlon - who was wrongly convicted of planting the bombs - said the families were delighted with the apology.
He said Mr Blair had spoken with "such sincerity", adding: "He went beyond what we thought he would, he took time to listen to everyone.
"You could see he was moved by what people were saying.
"Tony Blair has healed rifts, he is helping to heal wounds. It's a day I never thought would come."
The move followed a huge campaign in Ireland for a public apology after eleven people were wrongly convicted of making and planting the IRA bombs which killed seven people.
Mr Blair's official spokesman said no-one present at the meeting would "ever forget the strength of feeling of relief that the prime minister's statement brought to them".
All were arrested because of a family connection to Gerry Conlon.
Mr Conlon's father Giuseppe was arrested when travelling to London from Belfast to help his son. He died while serving his sentence.
Also arrested were Anne Maguire and members of her family. Mrs Maguire was the relative with whom Giuseppe planned to stay in London, as well as two family friends.
She said it was a "wonderful feeling" to have had the apology and that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
The people who were still doubting us should now believe that we were totally innocent
Anne Maguire
They were all jailed for handling explosives, based on scientific evidence which was later entirely discredited.
In October 1989 the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences of the Guildford Four, and in June 1991 it overturned the sentences on the Maguire Seven.
Mr Conlon's case was highlighted in the Oscar-nominated film In The Name Of The Father, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
One of those arrested and imprisoned was only thirteen years old
What the hell was going on?
General Election announcement imminentMuncher - the mid 1970s was a desparate time in Britain. There really was a genuine "War on Terror" being carried out (as opposed to the current nonsense) and these were people who got caught up in the whole thing. Normal standards of policing were dropped in order to achieve results - mainly due to political pressure.
The terrible thing is, the real culprits were never found or charged.
That is what happens when the normal standards of justice are dropped becuae of pressure from politicians. I hope Tony or his successors don't have to apologise again in twenty years time.
The terrible thing is, the real culprits were never found or charged.
That is what happens when the normal standards of justice are dropped becuae of pressure from politicians. I hope Tony or his successors don't have to apologise again in twenty years time.
wedg1e said:
Ah, but it was a religious war , so that's OK then.
Can we have a PHers religion then where we all have to honour the gods of Trevor, Enzo and Dr. Ferdinand? The we can declare a religious war, bring down the price of petrol and subject repeat offenders to treatment only seen in the Gulag (lucky we have all those coal mines in Wales that are not suitable for mechanical mining).
Eric Mc said:
That is what happens when the normal standards of justice are dropped becuae of pressure from politicians. I hope Tony or his successors don't have to apologise again in twenty years time.
Oh, I wouldn't worry, I'm sure no politician these days would be stupid enough to sacrifice normal standards of justice for political exprdiency in the face of a terror threat
In fact, a couple of years ago, Sinn Fein DID apologise on behalf of the IRA for all those killed or wounded in "The Troubles". It wasn't a terribly gracious apology and it wasn't well received in some quarters - but it WAS an apology.
I am well aware the TB and his ilk will very carefully pick and chose the timing of such statements - nothing is done without a reason. However, for the individuals and families involved, it has obviously been a huge relief to them and maybe they can make some progress in rebuilding their lives after 30 years of torment.
And don't forget, these people were not members of the IRA, were not members of Sinn Fein and, indeed, some were actually English. One chap had already intended to join the British Army!
I am well aware the TB and his ilk will very carefully pick and chose the timing of such statements - nothing is done without a reason. However, for the individuals and families involved, it has obviously been a huge relief to them and maybe they can make some progress in rebuilding their lives after 30 years of torment.
And don't forget, these people were not members of the IRA, were not members of Sinn Fein and, indeed, some were actually English. One chap had already intended to join the British Army!
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