Hyde Park bomb ruling: NI first minister

threatens to quit
W E D N E S D AY 26 FEBRUARY 2014
Aid is distributed at the Yarmouk camp in Damascus, where the UN says people have
been reduced to eating animal feed. Since the photograph was taken, aid has ceased
to be delivered because of security concerns

John Downey, a former IRA member, was accused of killing four soldiers in
Hyde Park in London in 1982.
However he walked free from court on Tuesday after it emerged that he was
wrongly assured by the Northern Ireland Office that he would not be pursued over
the bombings.
The decision to give him that assurance, contained in a letter, was described by
victims' families as a "monumental blunder" after it emerged that he should not have
received it because he was already wanted for questioning by Scotland Yard.
He was one of about 180 suspected IRA members who received similar letters under

a part of the peace process deal on "on-the-run" terror suspects. Little was known
about that aspect of the deal until the collapse of Downey's case.
Robinson 'kept in the dark'
Mr Robinson called for all letters which have been sent out to be rescinded. The DUP
leader said that he will discuss the matter with Theresa Villiers, the Northern Ireland
secretary, this afternoon.
"I have to say quite frankly that I am not prepared to be the first minister of a
government that is kept in the dark on matters that are relevant to what we are
doing," Mr Robinson said.
The man should never have received the letter that he received. It was a
dreadful mistake- David Cameron
"I want a full judicial inquiry to find out who knew, when they knew and what they
knew. I want to know who they are and what crimes they are believed to have
committed."
Mr Robinson added that he felt deceived by the government, saying that had he and
Ian Paisley, the former DUP leader, known about it, they would not have entered into
a power-sharing government wiht Sinn Fin in 2007.
"I am not prepared to be a stooge for Westminster who keeps secrets on matters
which are now devolved to Northern Ireland," he said.
Families 'devastated'
Downey, who was convicted of IRA membership during the 1970s, was arrested at
Gatwick Airport in May 2013 en route to Greece.
He was accused of causing the explosion, which killed Squadron Quartermaster
Corporal Roy Bright, Lieutenant Anthony Daly, Trooper Simon Tipper and Lance
Corporal Jeffrey Young. He denied the charges.
On his arrest, however, he produced a letter stating that he was free to enter the

jurisdiction without fear of arrest. The Crown Prosecution Service proceeded with
charges against him.
Families of the victims said that they felt "devastatingly let down" after the High
Court threw out the case on Tuesday, after Downey's lawyers argued that the trial, at
the Old Bailey, should not go ahead.
The prosecution said that it would not appeal against the decision.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland knew about Scotland Yard's arrest warrant for
Downey, but did nothing to correct the error of 2007.
Politics of peace
Mr Robinson's comments underscore the challenge faced by Northern Ireland's power
sharing government in the wake of the events.
On Wednesday, David Cameron added his voice to the chorus of criticism, saying:
"We should be absolutely clear. The man should never have received the letter that
he received
"It was a dreadful mistake and mistake that we now need to have a rapid factual
review to make sure that this cannot happen again. But whatever happens we have
to stick to the principle that we are a country and a government under the rule of
law."
Dominic Grieve, the Attorney General, defended his decision to charge Mr Downey.
Speaking before MPs at the House of Commons, Mr Grieve said that his consent had
been sought for him to face a charge of causing an explosion.
"I gave that consent. I believed then that it was right to do so and I remain of the
same view today," Mr Grieve said.
He denied, however, that the letters amounted to an amnesty. "Can I firstly make
the point that it's clear from the judgment and the supporting material that the
administrative scheme was not and never could be an amnesty," he said.