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Home Prisoner Stories Proved Innocent Northern Ireland Political Prisoner Awareness

THE FRAMING OF MICHAEL McKEVITT

Michael McKevitt is a political hostage framed by MI5 with the assistance of the FBI and senior members of the Irish Gardai. Michael was sentenced to 20 years and has been incarcerated in Portlaoise Prison.

On Saturday 15th August 1998 a bomb exploded in the Northern Irish town of Omagh, killing 29 people and causing hundreds of injuries. It shocked and outraged the majority of Irish people. The bombing was claimed by a dissident republican group calling itself the Real IRA, which subsequently declared a ceasefire. Media reports constantly linked the 32 County Sovereignty
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Committee to the Real IRA, but the Committee denied any such link. On 16th August, the Committee put out the following statement: "We are deeply saddened and devastated by the terrible tragedy in Omagh Co Tyrone yesterday (15th August '98). We share the grief and sorrow of everyone on the island of Ireland and we offer our sincere sympathy to the injured, the bereaved, their families and friends at this moment in time. The killing of innocent people cannot be justified in any circumstances. We are a political movement and are not a military group. We reject categorically any suggestions that has been publicly made, that our movement was responsible in any way." Despite the 32 County Sovereignty Committee's unambiguous condemnation of the bombing and denial of any involvement in it, numerous newspapers named Michael McKevitt as a perpetrator, an accusation that he strenuously denies. On 9th October 2000, BBC television transmitted a documentary in their respected Panorama series, called Who bombed Omagh? Journalist John Ware named four men suspected by the police of having been responsible for the bombing. Considerable controversy surrounded its transmission. Lawrence Rush, whose wife died in the bombing, attempted unsuccessfully to obtain an injunction to prevent the transmission, on the ground that it might prejudice the right of those named to a fair trial. He was supported in his application by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The programme did not name Michael or Bernadette McKevitt. In August 2001, almost a year after the Panorama programme was aired and shortly before the original trial date, solicitors acting on behalf of seven families who had lost relatives in the Omagh bomb served civil writs on five men, four of whom had been named in the Panorama programme, the fifth person was Michael McKevitt. The only evidence offered in the civil writ against Michael was that he hadnt rebutted the allegations made against him in the newspapers. (Since Michaels trial, solicitors acting on behalf of the Omagh families have now employed David Rupert as a witness to give evidence against Michael). The police cast their net very widely in their attempts to identify the bombers; they interviewed 6,500 people and took 2,700 statements. Michael or Bernadette McKevitt has never been questioned or arrested by the police in connection with this bombing (he was arrested on 26th May 2000, long after the bombing, and questioned about membership of an illegal organisation, but was released without charge. However, the police photograph taken whilst he was in custody appeared in national and international newspapers in 2003). Nevertheless, the media have run a relentless campaign of vilification against both Bernadette and Michael McKevitt, accusing them of involvement in the bombing and putting their lives at risk in so doing. They published their photographs, and photographs of their children and their home, which further endangered their lives. As a result of this campaign, Bernadette McKevitt was excluded from her shop in the town centre of Dundalk, and lost her livelihood. They later learned from a source close to the Fianna Fail leadership that the owner of the Long Walk shopping centre, Mr Martin Naughton allegedly ordered the closure as a political favour. Mr Naughton, a successful entrepreneur from Slane in Co. Meath, was a member of the Council of State (1997-2004) and also a financial contributor to the present Government partner Fianna Fail. In 1998 he made a significant financial contribution in support of the Yes campaign for The Good Friday Agreement. Post agreement Mr Naughton was appointed as Chairman to InterTradeIreland, one of the six cross-border bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. The McKevitts had no effective legal remedy against the media campaign. Legal aid is not available for libel actions in the Republic of Ireland, and the costs involved in a libel case are prohibitive. The media campaign was so vehement that it is highly unlikely that the McKevitts could obtain a fair hearing were they to bring such a case, whether before a judge or a jury.
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Furthermore, the campaign was so widespread that the McKevitts would be involved in litigation for years to come were they to prosecute every libel they have suffered. There was no Press Complaints Council in Ireland to which they could complain, and complaints to individual newspapers were more likely to result in further adverse coverage than in any retractions. Similar considerations arose in relation to bringing defamation proceedings in the Britain. Although they do have a Press Complaints Council, Irish citizens are not familiar with its workings and most of the coverage that would have formed the basis for any complaint was already outside their time limit. Despite the enormous limitations they continued to search for means to defend themselves. They contacted several human rights bodies including the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Amnesty International, and British Irish Rights Watch. In November 1999, British Irish Rights Watch submitted a report on behalf of the McKevitt family to the UN Rapateur on Freedom of Expression.

"We refuse to lie here in dishonor! We are not criminals, but Irishmen! This is the crime of which we stand accused. -Bobby Sands
It is being confirmed by Republican POWs in Maghaberry prison, that Harry Fitzsimons has received a severe beating by the riot squad.They went into his cell this morning, holding their hands over his mouth and nose to stop his breathing, punching his face until they broke his glasses cutting his face and leaving him with a suspected broken nose. Another POW said he's unrecognisable, having a suspected broken wrist and broken ribs due to the severe punching to his body.The guards then brutally ripped every stitch of clothing off his body, then got on top of him and beat him as he screamed out in pain. The other POWs said they didnt even recognise the voice. Harry has been through the system and knows the nature of the beast. This latest attack on him will only serve to strengthen his determination to see this through to the bitter end. There is nothing they can do that will deter him once he has set his mind to a course of action. His body maybe battered and bruised but his mind is strong and focused on the task ahead. The guards have failed to learn from the past that no matter what the dish out republican prisoners will endure the pain and triumph in the end. In the immortal words of Bobby Sands: " Remember that the British have nothing in their entire arsenal...to counter a single man who refuses to be broken."

It seems clear that the prison system in Northern Ireland is in a state of crisis the number of reports and recommendations, and the frequency with which
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recommendations are repeated alone are evidence of this. Furthermore the focus and response by the prison service to these issues which dwells on the numbers of recommendations, and the development of paperexercise policies and action plans to implement these recommendations, fails to recognise and address the bigger problems underlying the recommendations themselves. The problems identified are not simply operational matters that can be addressed by an action plan; rather what is required is a focus on the issues and problems behind the recommendations. In short, what is needed is widespread cultural and systemic change. The NIPS has committed itself to protecting the human rights and dignity of our staff, prisoners and all others with whom we come into contact and highlighted its plan to continue to take forward a comprehensive review of allexisting policies, practices and procedures to ensure that they are human rights compliant. However, it is clear that on many issues they are failing to meet even the most basic human rights standards. These standards and obligations have freely been entered into by government, and are the basic rights which human beings are entitled to by virtue of their humanity. At their heart is the assumption that those who are deprived of their liberty do not relinquish all rights by virtue of their imprisonment. As such they are entitled to the equivalent level of protection of their rights as those who are not detained, albeit within the context of imprisonment. It must also be borne in mind that the international human rights standards are the minimum required. As such, they are a base that should be built upon, not a goal to be aspired to. Whilst it must be acknowledged that improvements have been made, there is still a long way to go before Northern Ireland has a rights-based prison system both in policy and practice which meets the needs of prisoners and society, and is fair and equitable to both prison staff and prisoners. Dostoyevsky said: The degree of civilisation in a society is revealed by entering its prisons. Northern Ireland has a long way to go. Please visit our CAUSE page at https://www.causes.com/causes/787894-northern-ireland-human-rights-atrocities-of-the-20th-and21st-centuries
HARK:Northern Ireland Political Prisoner Awareness remembers Irish Political Prisoners still imprisoned in the name of Irish Freedom. Please help support these brave men and women by writing us at irishnotforgotten@yahoo.com We will send you the names and addresses of five Irish Patriots with tips on how to write. You can choose to send a wish for holidays, weekly letters or a one-time note. What actions you take are entirely up to you. Please take the time to let these brave men and women know... WE ARE OUT HERE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE IN THERE FOR US. For daily news, updates and prisoner support
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visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TheBeaconProject

On Friday 11th March POW Jason McCormack was due to appear in court. Jason was taken to prison reception where he immediately refused to allow himself to be humiliated and degraded; refusing to remove any of his clothes as part of a strip search. After a short period the riot squad in full riot gear were sent in and he was forcibly strip searched; sustaining injuries to his wrist, arms and body. Jason was then taken into a prison van and driven for 3-4 miles before being brought straight back to prison. On arrival, he was told he wasnt required in court. Meaning he was brutalised and injured for no reason. Jason has been charged for refusing a strip search which will now mean that he will lose his parole and will not spend time with his family as planned this Easter.

Kevin Barry Nolan and Gerard McManus were forcibly strip searched in March 2012 before leaving Maghberry for court. They reported that when leaving for court it was the usual rough strip search by the riot squad dressed in boiler suits but that all changed on their return. They were met by the riot squad dressed in full riot gear and when they refused to strip they attacked them. They put them on the ground and brutally removed their clothing, they twisted their arms up their backs and were trailing them around by their beards raining blows on their bodies and all the while shouting (for the benefit of the tape) stop resisting the search. Neither of them resisted the search in any way. When the brutal strip search was over they were ordered to stand up which they refused, the riot squad then attacked them again while they were lying on the floor. They havereceived injuries and are covered in cuts and bruises. Tensions are high on the wing, the riot squad are taunting the lads and blocking them in when they are being escorted to the phone or for visits. All the POWs have remarked that the guards/riot squad have upped the ante lately and are constantly trying to get an excuse to get stuck into a POW resulting in a number of POWs receiving beatings in this last week.

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Brendan Conway was last week unable to attend an urgent hospital appointment.Brendan was asked to strip before leaving Maghberry, as Brendan is one of the POWs refusing to adhere to this clear breech of the agreement, he refused to degrade himself by stripping for the search team.He was then informed that he would not be leaving Maghberry to attend his hospital appointment, during which he was to have a cat scan to determine if he was still in remission from cancer, for which he has received treatment in the past.While Brendan is at this time in remission, it is vitally important that he attends these scans, to determine that he is still in remission and does not need any further treatment for cancer. We are aware that the Governors in Maghberry can use their own discretion when it comes to deciding if it is appropriate to ask a prisoner to strip to attend hospital, surely this is an occasion when they could have used their better judgement and decided that a post cancer patient should not be put through the humiliating procedure of a strip search, just so he can avail of the necessary treatment needed to assess if he is still in remission, and worse still they decided that his refusal to humiliate himself by stripping for the search team warrants them the right to refuse him access to an urgent medical procedure. A basic human right of any prisoner.Brendan Conway has been subjected to many force stripped in the last few months while attending courts during which he has suffered many injuries, after one particularly brutal forced strip he had to be placed on an ECG as he was having heart palpitations. Brendan has been granted leave to take a Judicial Review against these strip searches and his legal team having viewed the footage of his forced strip search described it has horrific. One now has to ask what effect can these brutal forced strip searches have on a post cancer patient ? copyright 2013 HARK Theme by styleshout and c5mix Home | Sign In to Edit this Site

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