Comments on The Pensive Quill: Incarceration Predicament

AM, 'I doubt if many will be that pedantic....

2012-06-05T17:17:18.007+01:00

AM,
'I doubt if many will be that pedantic.'

You are probably right. It is just an observation.

John, I doubt if many will be that pedantic. I wo...

2012-06-05T17:02:22.442+01:00

John,

I doubt if many will be that pedantic. I would never dream of not supporting Gerry when he talks about blessed Ireland or whatever. No point in us going OTT on these things

from Helen McClafferty: The SDLP and Mr. Eamon O&...

2012-06-05T16:45:10.437+01:00

from Helen McClafferty:

The SDLP and Mr. Eamon O'Cuiv of Fianna Fail are standing up for the blatant injustices that still continue to plague Irish republicans in the north of Ireland. At no time has the DUP ever come out and demanded the prosecution of any British soldier found responsible for the murder of innocent Catholics whose families deserve the same consideration they say ‘Mr. Brush’s family deserves’. The DUP are a bunch of hypocrites and their true colors (orange) become more apparent every time they speak out. They ONLY demand 'justice to be served' in the case of their own, but they refuse to seek justice for the endless list of families whose innocent loved ones were murdered by the security forces.

It is also very disconcerting and two-faced that the SOS Owen Paterson was able to accept a letter of ‘protest’ from DUP Maurice Morrow and yet he could not receive our campaign petition to free Gerry McGeough. The continued campaign by the DUP and British Government to keep Gerry in prison and yet not seek the prosecution of their own should prove to people that nothing much has changed. These rantings by the DUP about Gerry, Marian and now the SDLP are expected from such a well known bigoted political party, and these injustices will continue while one side of an Agreement retains absolute power.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/dodds-says-sdlp-pitching-for-dissident-support-1-3870183#.T7zPrm9lvik.email

'Damian Herron, Chairman - Northern Ireland...

2012-06-05T16:44:32.953+01:00

'Damian Herron, Chairman - Northern Ireland'

'The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign Committee
USA-NI-Ireland-Catalonia'

'by Damian Herron , Northern Ireland Chairman, Free Gerry McGeough Campaign'

As a constructive comment, I would urge that the Free Gerry McGeough Campaign' should drop the use of the name 'Northern Ireland' in its communications.

I do not mean to offend anyone by saying that, but believe that such a title will lose it support among many.

BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLET...

2012-06-05T15:55:43.601+01:00

BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN
The Irish American Organisations are Now Being Contacted: DUP Dodds and Company Can Explain Why

by Damian Herron , Northern Ireland Chairman, Free Gerry McGeough Campaign, Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 8:16pm ·

The 'law abiding' Unionists have consistently refused to accept that the Good Friday Agreement was an agreement that related to both the Nationalist and Unionist communities. They have consistently refused to call for the prosecution of British Security Force personnel who murdered innocent Catholics. They are delighted to receive peace funding yet they continually try to destabilise the peace process by their actions. Only recently the Orange Order received over £800,000 in peace funding to help them build bridges and feel more confident. The Unionists have no right to a single penny of peace funding or donations from any quarter until they accept that Nationalists and Republicans are entitled to benefit equally from the peace process.

The Irish American organisations who donate funding into Unionist areas are now being contacted. Those donations should no longer be available to the Unionist communities.

DUP Nigel Dodds and company can explain to their own communities the reasons why.

"In your Political Lifetime Dodds. Gerry McGeough will be free"

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/dodds-says-sdlp-pitching-for-dissident-support-1-3870183#.T7zPrm9lvik.email

From Helen McClafferty: They Would Never Questi...

2012-06-05T15:53:10.817+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

They Would Never Question the Integrity of an English Judge in a British Diplock Court
by Damian Heron on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 6:40am

There are those who would state that Gerry McGeough was brought before a Court of Law and sentenced for alleged offences dating back to 1981. They like to state that the facts were put before a judge and that those facts were accepted as evidence. They would never question the integrity of an English Judge when Irishmen and Irishwomen are sentenced, not in a Court of Law, but in a British Diplock Court.

Why have the RUC personnel who shot dead Nora McCabe in 1981 not faced prosecution? The Birmingham Six, the Guidlford Four, the Maguire Seven, to mention just a few, were convicted of offences in British Courts. Was the evidence produced at their trials not based on facts? Since those convictions have been overturned, what exactly was the evidence based upon? British soldiers murdered unarmed civilians in Derry on Bloody Sunday. How many of those soldiers have faced prosecution or served a sentence for murder?

Diplock Court Legislation Extended by British Government
By Helen McClafferty on Tuesday, May 22, 2012

On June 15, 2009, the British government "unexpectedly" extended the legislation allowing for Diplock Courts for another two years. The Diplock system was supposed to have ended for good by July 2009. Some observers saw this as a blatant move to ensure that Gerry McGeough was "tried" under this notorious emergency legislation.

The Crown continues its usual modus operandi which is to incarcerate, harass and bring unsubstantiated charges against Irish Republicans who do not verbally support the status quo and tow the line.

It is now three years on since the British government extended this legislation for another two years and I have not seen any political party in the north of Ireland campaign against these British imposed kangaroo courts.

From Helen McClafferty: Dissident Unionists Are O...

2012-06-04T21:51:52.480+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

Dissident Unionists Are On The Defensive: Now Is The Time To Use Every Political Mechanism and Bring Gerry Home

Speaking from Maghaberry Prison, Gerry McGeough has welcomed the support shown by Sinn Féin at their recent Ard Fheis in passing Motion 40 calling for his immediate release and that of Marian Price and Martin Corey. In particular, he is delighted with the statement made by Gerry Adams TD during his Presidential Speech in calling for the British Secretary of State to "go back to England where he belongs" and stating that Gerry, Marian and Martin "should be released immediately".

Gerry would like to thank the Ard Chomhairle, the Charlie McGlade Cumann, Drimnagh, Dublin, the O'Neill/De Barra Cumann, Cork City and Cuige Átha Cliath for putting forward Motion 40. He would also like to thank the membership of Sinn Féin for their support.

The Gerry McGeough Campaign recognizes the significant progress made over the past number of months. This is the result of a relentless campaign to highlight British injustice in Ireland today. While the focus of our campaign is to secure freedom for Gerry McGeough, we have also given mutual support to those who campaign for Marian Price and Martin Corey. We have brought to the fore, not only the injustice and oppression inflicted upon our people by the British Government, 14 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, but also the repressive regime operated by the NIO in Maghaberry Prison.

We have brought together the people of Ireland, Catalonia and Irish America. Along with their politicians and many other public representatives, they have chosen to stand together and fight against British injustice in Ireland.

Today, the Dissident Unionist politicians, who have always been opposed to the Good Friday Agreement and who continually try to undermine the Peace Process, understand clearly the strength of our people in Ireland, Irish America and Catalonia. Our people did not lie down and the Dissident Unionists are on the defensive.

Now is the time to combine all our efforts and use every political mechanism available to bring Gerry McGeough home to his family within days or weeks. No stone should be left unturned by our politicians to hold the Dissident Unionists and the British Government to account for their acts against the democratic wish of those who voted in favor of peace. We want Gerry McGeough home now.

The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign Committee
USA-NI-Ireland-Catalonia

From Helen McClafferty: Our Campaign encourages a...

2012-06-04T21:47:30.303+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

Our Campaign encourages all business people and organizations who rely on tourism to contact their local MLA's, TD's, MP's and MEP's and raise concerns that the continued incarceration of Gerry McGeough and the revoking of licences by the British Secretary of State is destabilizing the peace process and is detrimental to the tourist industry. The target set by the Department of Enterprise Trade & Investment to increase tourism from 3.2 million visitors to 4.5 million by the year 2020 will not be met if the Dissidents within Unionism are allowed to continue undermining the Good Friday Agreement

Our campaign does not in any way want to see a decline in tourism to Ireland. But we also need to highlight the fact that while the Unionists are so willing to accept the financial benefits of the GFA and peace etc. many, particularly within the DUP, never supported the GFA from the outset and continue to undermine the agreements. Their actions and the actions of the British Government towards Gerry, Marian and Martin, encourage unrest which in turn discourages inward tourism and investment.

If the Dissidents within Unionism are unwilling to stand by the GFA and the wishes of the people who voted in favor of peace, then they should not in any way benefit from those agreements. Calling on tourists to visit the unoccupied 26 counties may be controversial, but it is more important to hold the Dissidents within Unionism to account and put a stop now to want they aim to achieve by creating tension and unrest within our own communities. It is better to raise awareness now as to what to is happening in Ireland than to wait until Dissident Unionists have achieved their objective and brought us back into another conflict. That would surely see a massive decline in tourism.

Free Gerry McGeough Campaign Committee

From Helen McClafferty: UDR Membership in UDA Sa...

2012-06-04T16:13:38.003+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

UDR Membership in UDA

Sammy Brush, now vigorously opposing McGeough’s release, belonged to a regiment regarded by the British Army themselves as troublemakers, and which harbored covert members of the UDA which the British government of the day didn’t dare to ban fearing a Protestant backlash. The Free Gerry McGeough Committee now want to know, how much weight should be attached to the opposition of a DUP town councilor to Gerry’s release, who belonged to a British regiment which both the British Army and the British government knew for sure harbored extremist Protestant members of the murderous UDA/UFF, but failed to proscribe?

The British Army knew that some members of the Ulster Defense Regiment (UDR) a regular British Army Regiment were also active within the Ulster Defense Association (UDA), which carried out high-profile attacks including the Milltown massacre, the Castlerock killings and the Greysteel massacre under its cover name of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF).

The UFF always publicly claimed responsibility for the murders. The UDA and the UFF are the same organization. The point is, if the Army knew for sure that members of the ‘legitimate’ UDR were also active in the UDA (and its ‘operational’ name the UFF) why didn’t the British make the UDA a proscribed organization as it had the PIRA?

Sammy Brush was a member of the UDR but no-one knew which members of the UDR were also members of the murderous UDA. What we have now learned is that the British Army was well aware that the UDR was being used by the UDA as a front.

FREE GERRY MCGEOUGH CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
www.freegerry.com

From Helen McClafferty: This Sets the Precedent ...

2012-06-04T08:08:21.317+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

This Sets the Precedent Today for What is to Follow

The Good Friday Agreement contains the word 'Equality'. This word just does not exist within the mentality of Unionists such as Morrow and Brush. In their eyes, it justifies them, not only to persecute Gerry McGeough and his family, but also to manipulate and rewrite the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. While it appears that Gerry has been singled out as the only Republican to be prosecuted and imprisoned on alleged offences prior to 1998, over time, it will be clear that he is only the first.

Prior to 1970, to satisfy their bigoted needs and desires, they wore the black uniform of the B-Special. Today, they satisfy those needs by ensuring that equality of implementation does not apply to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement when dealing with Republicans. Therefore, they want to see Gerry McGeough serve his full sentence for an alleged 'criminal act'.

They will not associate the term 'criminal' with members of the British Security Forces who, they believe, were totally justified in any actions carried out against innocent Irish Republicans who were tortured or murdered simply because of their political beliefs. They see us as the lowest form of existence in Ireland.

Would they apply the term 'criminal' to the British soldiers who shot dead innocent civilians? They have no reason whatsoever to entertain such a thought. The first British soldier to be charged with murder in the Occupied Counties, in 1974, had his charge reduced to manslaughter and was then acquitted. That set the precedent for what was to follow.

Following Gerry's arrest in 2007, it took another three years before he was actually brought to trial. In the meantime, a decision was taken to continue the use of the corrupt British Diplock Court system. International political asylum laws were abused by the British and Swedish Governments scheming to permit confidential political asylum papers to be used as 'evidence' against Gerry. Internment without trial was then reintroduced and any charges against those internees is based on 'secret evidence' which nobody is allowed access to. The term 'dissident' is used to insinuate that all those who are no longer associated with mainstream Republicanism are obviously opposed to peaceful and political solutions. Therefore they 'pose a threat' and the British 'Security Forces' can justify 'controlled' internment against Republicans.

Since Gerry's imprisonment in 2011, statements have been issued by the most bigoted Anti-Good Friday Agreement Unionists, Morrow and Brush, voicing concerns over the amount of legal aid granted during Gerry's trial in an attempt to manipulate the legal aid system and deny Republicans the right to a defence. Their latest statement now calls for Gerry McGeough, an Irish Republican, to be labelled a criminal and they attempt to rewrite the Good Friday Agreement by stating that Gerry should serve his full twenty year sentence. His release date is 2031. British soldiers, UDR and RUC personnel are not being prosecuted for pre-1998 offences. This sets the precedent today for what is to follow.

This has to be stopped now. The British Government and the Dissident Unionists need to be held to account for their actions against the people of Ireland, 14 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Equality and the right to benefit from the Peace Process is not being applied to Republicans. This things were supposed to be over. Gerry McGeough, Marian Price and Martin Corey should be released immediately. We want Gerry home now.

Damian Herron, Chairman - Northern Ireland

Free Gerry McGeough Campaign Committee
www.freegerry.com

From Helen McClafferty: It Began in March 2007. F...

2012-06-01T08:12:13.036+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

It Began in March 2007. Five Years Later, It Has Not Been Resolved. We Want Results. We Want Gerry Home Now.

This has gone on long enough. It began in March 2007. Five years later, it has not been resolved. There is no justification for allowing this situation to continue. It needs to end now. As Independent TD Maureen O'Sullivan recently stated, "terms like 'aware of' and 'raised issues' sound very nice but there is no action behind them".

Heavy and immediate political 'action' is what we want against those who represent and implement systematic British oppression and injustice against the Irish people. Our elected representatives are the people with the power and the negotiating skills to bring an end to the imprisonment of Gerry McGeough. That is why they have been elected. We want them all to follow up on the statements through effective political negotiation with the British Government. There is no reason why our MLA's and TD's cannot bring the Irish and British Governments into a round of negotiations dedicated to the release of Gerry McGeough and a swift resolution to outstanding issues surrounding the Weston Park Accord. There is no reason why we should not demand this from our elected politicians. We want results. We want our Irish American friends to stand with us and we want Gerry home now.

Damien Herron
Brian Halpin

Free Gerry McGeough Campaign

From Helen McClafferty: Mike Nesbitt Leader of th...

2012-06-01T08:08:27.334+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

Mike Nesbitt Leader of the UUP recently raised two questions 'What is the point?' and 'What are they trying to achieve?' Of course, these questions did not refer to the continued incarceration of Gerry McGeough. Therefore, our campaign will raise two questions in reference to Gerry. 'What has been achieved by bringing Gerry McGeough to trial?' 'What is the point of the continued incarceration of Gerry McGeough?'

He raises a good point in stating that in any country throughout the world, not everyone is happy with their government. Former UDR man Brush is not happy at all. In reference to Gerry McGeough he recently stated 'It was one of the big mistakes of the Good Friday Agreement'. His friend Morrow, who likes to call himself 'The English Lord' is not happy. He wants Gerry to remain in prison until 2031 and between the two of them they are constantly whinging about the £250,000 cost in legal aid paid out so far and would prefer to deny Gerry the right to a defense. Of course, they do not whinge about the cost to the taxpayer of keeping Gerry in prison or the cost involved in pursuing a prosecution.

Brush, Morrow, Foster and Dodds, to name but a few, have always been opponents of the Good Friday Agreement. They are not happy at all, with the exception of holding their hands out to receive the financial benefits. What is the point in their continued and abnormal obsession with Gerry McGeough, unless of course they also intend to pursue prosecutions against members of the UDR for their actions throughout the conflict. Maybe they would like an investigation into why Dungannon British Army/RUC Barracks topped the poll for the highest level of weapon theft with possible prosecutions against those thieving members of the British State Forces who have yet to be brought to justice. Have they ever asked why these weapons were stolen? Have they ever asked what these weapons were used for?

They may not be happy with the Good Friday Agreement, but what is the point of resorting to a campaign of sectarianism, bigotry vindictiveness and political imprisonment against Gerry McGeough? Do they want to raise tensions? Do they want to see unrest? Do they want to see a violent reaction? That's exactly what they want.

Nationalist politicians should now raise these same questions in the Assembly. They should ask Dodds to lead a Campaign for Justice against those responsible for the bombing of Kelly's Bar. They should refer to those Unionists who are opposed to the Good Friday Agreement and thwart the efforts to achieve a political solution as Dissidents. They should ask these Dissident Unionists who want to see justice served, to put forward the names of former UDR personnel who have perpetrated crimes against the Irish Nation.

Libertad para Gerry

The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign Committee

From Helen McClafferty: The SDLP and Mr. Eamon O&...

2012-05-24T10:28:30.244+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

The SDLP and Mr. Eamon O'Cuiv of Fianna Fail are standing up for the blatant injustices that still continue to plague Irish republicans in the north of Ireland. At no time has the DUP ever come out and demanded the prosecution of any British soldier found responsible for the murder of innocent Catholics whose families deserve the same consideration they say ‘Mr. Brush’s family deserves’. The DUP are a bunch of hypocrites and their true colors (orange) become more apparent every time they speak out. They ONLY demand 'justice to be served' in the case of their own, but they refuse to seek justice for the endless list of families whose innocent loved ones were murdered by the security forces.

It is also very disconcerting and two-faced that the SOS Owen Paterson was able to accept a letter of ‘protest’ from DUP Maurice Morrow and yet he could not receive our campaign petition to free Gerry McGeough. The continued campaign by the DUP and British Government to keep Gerry in prison and yet not seek the prosecution of their own should prove to people that nothing much has changed. These rantings by the DUP about Gerry, Marian and now the SDLP are expected from such a well known bigoted political party, and these injustices will continue while one side of an Agreement retains absolute power.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/dodds-says-sdlp-pitching-for-dissident-support-1-3870183#.T7zPrm9lvik.email

From Helen McClafferty: BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BUL...

2012-05-24T10:21:05.113+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN - BULLETIN
The Irish American Organisations are Now Being Contacted: DUP Dodds and Company Can Explain Why

by Damian Herron , Northern Ireland Chairman, Free Gerry McGeough Campaign, Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 8:16pm ·

The 'law abiding' Unionists have consistently refused to accept that the Good Friday Agreement was an agreement that related to both the Nationalist and Unionist communities. They have consistently refused to call for the prosecution of British Security Force personnel who murdered innocent Catholics. They are delighted to receive peace funding yet they continually try to destabilise the peace process by their actions. Only recently the Orange Order received over £800,000 in peace funding to help them build bridges and feel more confident. The Unionists have no right to a single penny of peace funding or donations from any quarter until they accept that Nationalists and Republicans are entitled to benefit equally from the peace process.

The Irish American organisations who donate funding into Unionist areas are now being contacted. Those donations should no longer be available to the Unionist communities.

DUP Nigel Dodds and company can explain to their own communities the reasons why.

"In your Political Lifetime Dodds. Gerry McGeough will be free"

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/dodds-says-sdlp-pitching-for-dissident-support-1-3870183#.T7zPrm9lvik.email

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ANY AND ALL IRISH AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS WHO MAY BE SENDING FUNDS OVER TO THE UNIONISTS.

Thank you.
Helen McClafferty
Chairperson - USA
Free Gerry McGeough Campaign
www.freegerry.com

From Helen McClafferty Labour MP John McDonnell r...

2012-05-24T10:18:51.230+01:00

From Helen McClafferty

Labour MP John McDonnell raises topic about Gerry McGeough and the WPA in House of Commons

The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign would like to thank John McDonnell MP for raising the topic about Gerry McGeough’s case in the House of Commons as requested.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received on the case of Gerry McGeough.

Mr Paterson: I receive correspondence on a wide range of issues, including the case of Gerry McGeough.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the implications for the peace process in Northern Ireland of the continued incarceration of Gerry McGeough; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Paterson: Mr McGeough’s appeal against the judgment in the Government’s favour in his judicial review is due to be heard by the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal in June. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further pending the final resolution of that matter.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review the case of Gerry McGeough under paragraph 20 of the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Paterson: Paragraph 20 of the Good Friday Agreement bears no relation to the case of Mr McGeough

www.freegerry.com

Helen. I know its frustrating, that's what th...

2012-05-22T23:33:34.964+01:00

Helen.

I know its frustrating, that's what they want, for you and others to feel down, and they hope everything will just go away, But, as you say, the campaign petition is sitting on some clerks desk, lets hope he/she are not on extended sick leave, or, maybe it will get lost, just like Marians Royal Perogative.
Heads high and never submit.

Sandy.

Your on the wrong track Fella, don't take things out on someone who has nothing to do with the state of priory hall, do you have other motives to dislike Gerry McGeough, I wonder if its because Like most of us here WE, LIKE GERRY DOES ,SPEAK OUT AGAINTS THE SO CALLED GFA, Put yourself in Gerry McGeough's Position.

Helen like Marians pardon I would bet shredded, I...

2012-05-22T08:22:42.995+01:00

Helen like Marians pardon I would bet shredded, I would ask for a photo copy of each sheet just for the hell of it,that would maybe tell a tale.I e-mailed attorney general Larkin re Marian about two weeks ago to date not even an acknowledgement, I have saved the original draft so I will send him one every other day now f##k up his in box if nothing else ..

From Helen McClafferty: May 21, 2012 While I ap...

2012-05-22T06:03:02.270+01:00

From Helen McClafferty:

May 21, 2012

While I appreciate the fact that Mr. Ramsey attempted to deliver our campaign's petition directly to the SOS Owen Paterson today, I find it hypocritical that Paterson couldn't accept it in person ‘due to an on-going legal review’. What rubbish! Gerry McGeough’s attorney has been waiting since November 2011 to have a judgment handed down on Gerry’s Appeal. Gerry was supposed to have received the judgment back in February when they handed down the negative verdict on his judicial review. The Appeal judgment was canceled at the last minute and has never been rescheduled. Now our campaign petition is sitting on some clerk’s desk in the NIO where it will eventually be filed and forgotten about. ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL AND UNACCEPTABLE!

Marty, nothing to get upset about. Sandy seems to...

2012-05-15T14:19:11.997+01:00

Marty,

nothing to get upset about. Sandy seems to hate Martin for some unspecified reason. But tonight people will be reading Martin and not Sandy. Its the way of the world.

Sandy get over yourself,what the hell has Galvin a...

2012-05-15T12:48:10.888+01:00

Sandy get over yourself,what the hell has Galvin and Gerry Mc Geough got to do with Priory hall,you and the residents have a 100% support here but Tom Mc Feely is the man who you should be venting your spleen on a cara,go set up your own blog a cara. Anthony fair play to your tolerance but really a cara this thread has sfa to do with the post,I think Sandy should put in a post ,I,d be sure you would flag it up and we could go through this whole affair AGAIN! Sandy,s situation is bad no doubt but forgive me Sandy but I think the situation that Marian and the other republican pows find themselves in much worse.and while Priory Hall is going through due process ,Those interned by Patterson are denied this,and I,m sure Sandy you would agree that this denial of justice must be highlighted and opposed by all right thinking people..

Why allow Galvin who saw nothing wring with the En...

2012-05-15T12:07:42.195+01:00

Why allow Galvin who saw nothing wring with the Enniskillen & Omagh bombings a chance to air his warped ideas ? You should be out in Priory Hall repairing the shoddy apartments / houses you were handsomly paid to promote . Everybody takes the corrupt shilling. Am I wrong ?