February 3, 2021, 12:02 pm
A legal adviser to represent Northern Ireland conflict veterans facing prosecutions should be appointed, a champion for ex-servicemen said (Niall Carson/PA).
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An independent legal adviser is needed to stand up for ex-soldiers in court proceedings involving the Northern Ireland conflict, the Veterans Commissioner has said.
People who took huge risks for peace should not become political footballs during investigations into past violence, Danny Kinahan added.
Many armed forces veterans do not want to see an amnesty from justice introduced in Northern Ireland, their commissioner has said.
A “middle way” should be found between their needs and the demands of others who seek answers about deaths of loved ones, Danny Kinahan said.
He added the Government should be held to its promise to behave in a fair, balanced and proportionate fashion.
“They were out there protecting all of us and many of them have given not just their lives but their whole way of life is now completely changed by having worked within security and the awful things that happened to them in the past.”
An independent legal adviser is needed to stand up for ex-soldiers in court proceedings involving the Northern Ireland conflict, the Veterans Commissioner has said.
People who took huge risks for peace should not become political footballs during investigations into past violence, Danny Kinahan added.
State forces were responsible for a tenth of deaths during 30 years of bloodshed but a greater percentage of prosecutions involve the security services, he said.
Danny Kinahan (Philip Toscano/PA)
Mr Kinahan said: “If there is an area that is missing it is probably having legal advice and being able to stand up for veterans with more of a legal power.
BBC News
Brexit: Senior officer urges calm over NI protocol
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A week after he addressed the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan has said there has been an increase in community tension over the NI protocol.
It comes as the EU condemned threats against staff making Brexit-related checks at Northern Ireland s ports, and told EU officials working in Northern Ireland not to attend their duties.
On Monday, Mid and East Antrim Council withdrew staff from Brexit inspection duties over security fears.
All parties have condemned the threats. There are no indications loyalist paramilitary groups are involved.
Blinded lorry driver Fra McCaffrey may be the first victim of a renegade loyalist group who are ready to go to war over the Irish Sea border.
The west Belfast lorry driver was left with serious head injuries as well as being blinded in one eye after a group dumped a bin load of rocks over an overpass in Larne – close to the port although Fra had not come through the new so-called ‘border’.
Police were stumped at the shocking and bizarre attack on the 56-year-old which happened three weeks ago and appeared to have no clear motive.
But we can reveal detectives are now investigating whether the incident was part of new loyalist campaign against any kind of border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.