MPs to hold compensation talks in Libya

Published Friday, 16 October 2009

A delegation of MPs is expected to visit Libya within weeks to discuss IRA victims' demands for compensation.

Lawyers for those injured by IRA bombs and bereaved relatives revealed that the Libyan government has invited UK parliamentarians to Tripoli to discuss the case, but the victims themselves have not been invited.

While the victims are "disappointed" not to be able to form part of the delegation, they appreciate Libya's "kind and welcome" offer and are grateful for the Foreign Office efforts, said the lawyers in a statement.

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who is expected to be included in the delegation, said:

"We have already had a positive and productive meeting with the Libyan Embassy in London. This welcome news is the next positive step.

"We hope that Libya will continue to engage in such a way and begin to appreciate the benefits it will have from reconciliation with the human tragedy of our victims."

Colin Parry, whose son Tim died as a result of a Semtex blast in Warrington in 1993, said: "We welcome this first step as a significant move toward recognition of our campaign and look forward to the day when we can make a personal representation to Libyan dignitaries."

Solicitor Jason McCue added: "The Libyan and British Governments should both be commended for no longer allowing this issue to fester within their relationship.

"I truly hope that this is the start of dialogue and reconciliation of this issue which will then enable a genuine and lasting rapprochement between the UK and Libya."

Links between the IRA and Colonel Muammar Gaddafi are thought to stretch back as far as 1972, and Libya is understood to have supplied the Republican group with Czech-made Semtex in the 1980s.

Comments

8 Comments

lorna in limavady wrote (945 days ago):

and Seamus Sometimes the rubbish you speak is only good for growing mushrooms. "Hundreds" TORTURED ?

Seamus You have been led to believe that but i know the IRA took lives of the RUC men and woman whose only aim in life was to protect lives and property. When your neighbours were being murdered for one cause or another. many joined the RUC to defend against the bitter republician or loyalist, many of those were sent to jail with the same detection as the IRA. you seem to forget that. I CAN TELL YOU THIS I KNEW MENY OFFICERS WHO WERE MURDERED AND NOT ONE WAS INVOLVED WITH LOYALISTS IN FACT THE LOYALISTS HATED THEM AND IN SOME CASES DROVE THEM OUT OF THEY HOMES.

seamas in belfast wrote (946 days ago):

Lorna. Not all the victims of the IRA were innocent of taking life. A great many of them including members of the security forces were loyalist paramilitaries who tortured and murdered hundreds of people. Your obvious belief that the troubles were felt only by protestant unionists reveals an ignorance of the truth and only reinforces the argument that the Government should not give special recognition to one group of victims.

lorna in limavady wrote (948 days ago):

and Prionsais = read the report into what happened to Danny Milhone one of the disappeared and tell me was this the work of the British or the RUC. You forget the victims of the IRA were not responsible for taking life they are the silent victims now with a voice.

Stephen in Enniskillen wrote (948 days ago):

Well said Lorna, people like Prionsais and Subby make me sick to the stomach...

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