KINGSMILL MASSACRE INQUEST – FRUSTRATIONS OVER PROGRESS BUT COMMITMENT TO TRUTH
KRW LAW LLP represent the family of John McConville (deceased) and Alan Black.
John McConville was killed in the Kingsmill Massacre and Alan Black was seriously injured in the attack on 5th January 1976 when PIRA gunmen stopped a minibus carrying eleven Protestant workmen, lined them up alongside it and shot them.
The family of John McConville, whilst being frustrated by the start-stop approach of the inquest, they remain committed to see the inquest to its conclusion.
Karen Armstrong a sister of John McConville said:
‘We owe it to our dear brother to continue with the inquest, too much time and effort has went into the inquest for us to walk away. We need to push for the truth and our family remain committed.’
Alan Black, whilst also disappointed with the start-stop approach of the inquest said:
‘Whilst I have become deeply frustrated with the length of time of the the Inquest to date, I will not be walking away. I need to see this through, I owe it to the boys and to get closure for myself, the wider public needs to know what happened and hopefully this will never happen again’
He continued
‘Having watched the spotlight programme last night on the murder of the Scottish three soldiers on 10th March 1971 in Ligoniel, North Belfast – John McCraig, 17; his brother, Joseph, 18, and Dougald McCaughey, 23 – brought everything back to me.
The programme also named Paddy O’Kane an ex-Para as a key suspect in the murders of my mates.
What I find it incredible and cannot believe even in 2020, is that both the An Garda Siochana and the RUC could not co-operate as police forces and have Paddy O’Kane questioned about the Kingsmill murders. What was going on, was it political policing then, and now, was it chaotic policing or something more sinister?
This is why I will not walk away and will speak to anyone who has information to get to the truth. Paddy O’Kane died in 2009 but neither the PSNI nor the GARDA made any attempt to have him questioned-I think that says it all.’
Paddy O’Kane was first refused an “On-the-Run” (OTR) letter in 2003, but in 2007 an OTR letter was approved, giving him confirmation that he was not wanted by any police in the UK.
Barry O’Donnell, Solicitor for Mrs Armstrong and Mr Black commented,
‘Whilst Mrs Armstrong and Mr Black are frustrated with the process they are committed to seeing the Inquest to conclusion’
He continued
‘The Spotlight programme detailed the ‘psychopathic tendencies’ of an ex-Para who was suspected to have been involved in the murders at Kingsmill. Paddy O’Kane was well known to both the Garda Siochana and the RUC but was never as much as questioned for the Kingsmill murders. We share our clients frustration and will be raising this ‘why not’ and other important matters with the GardaSiochana and the PSNI’