Tuesday June 29, 2004
The family of murdered Belfast teenager Peter Mc Bride has today welcomed the call by the Independent Assessor on Military Complaints for the dismissal of the two soldiers convicted of the 1992 murder. In his 11th annual report Jim Mc Donald said, "This case continues to attract adverse publicity, not only in the nationalist community, and thus undermines the credibility of Army employment policy. I realise that the longer this case goes on the more difficult its resolution would appear to be;but a resolution remains necessary in the interests of justice."
Jean Mc Bride has welcomed the comments,
"The Independent Assessor appears to be the only person in a position of authority who understands the wrong that was done and continues to be done to our family. The Minister who allowed them to remain, John Spellar, went on to become NIO minister for Human Rights; their Commanding Officer, Lt COl Tim Spicer, who accused Peter of being a bomber, has just been awarded a major private security contract in Iraq and one of the soldiers who murdered Peter has been promoted. Tony Blair knows no shame. We are awaiting judgement in the courts and I can only pray that the judge has studied these comments carefully. To quote Jim Mc Donald, "in the interests of justice" .
Note to Editors
US Special Envoy Mitchell Reiss has informed the PFC that concerns about the US Dept of Defence contract have been raised in Washington. Lobbying continues to have the $293 million contract rescinded