NationStates Jolt Archive

Recently Parliament in Westminster passed legislation allowing all fugitive Northern Irish terrorists to return home without punishment despite the horrendous crimes they might have committed before 1998. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4464826.stm)

It's bad enough that this will not apply to the the victims of terrorism who have been told to leave Northern Ireland and never return.

It's bad enough that Sinn Fein/IRA (the chief proponents of the Act) are 'dismayed' that this may apply to police/army etc. despite the IRA declaring the situation during the Troubles was a war.

But do you know what's worst?

The fact that suspects won't have to actually appear before any court or tribunal. At all.

Or the fact that the victims will have to attend court to testify.

What happens if the victims don't attend?

They face a jail sentence.

Something the vile paramilitary scum have no prospect of.

How disgraceful is that?

All this from a Blair government which is simultaneously passing draconeon laws which destroy Habeas Corpus, and which the Law Lords have already ruled are dodgy................all in the name of attacking terrorists, of course.

How can anybody justify this?

People who committed terrorist acts before 1998 don't have to appear in court, but their victims will b e under the threat of a jail sentence if they don't appear in court.

Justice? In the UK?

As far as I'm concerned, this has shown it doesn't exist

*shrug* It's the labour party, why would you expect different?

Some people are going to have to get burned for peace to work. It's unfortunate that it's the victims. And it's inexcusable that they should face a prison sentence.

Recently Parliament in Westminster passed legislation allowing all fugitive Northern Irish terrorists to return home without punishment despite the horrendous crimes they might have committed before 1998. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4464826.stm)

It's bad enough that this will not apply to the the victims of terrorism who have been told to leave Northern Ireland and never return.

It's bad enough that Sinn Fein/IRA (the chief proponents of the Act) are 'dismayed' that this may apply to police/army etc. despite the IRA declaring the situation during the Troubles was a war.

But do you know what's worst?

The fact that suspects won't have to actually appear before any court or tribunal. At all.

Or the fact that the victims will have to attend court to testify.

What happens if the victims don't attend?

They face a jail sentence.

Something the vile paramilitary scum have no prospect of.

How disgraceful is that?

All this from a Blair government which is simultaneously passing draconeon laws which destroy Habeas Corpus, and which the Law Lords have already ruled are dodgy................all in the name of attacking terrorists, of course.

How can anybody justify this?

People who committed terrorist acts before 1998 don't have to appear in court, but their victims will b e under the threat of a jail sentence if they don't appear in court.

Justice? In the UK?

As far as I'm concerned, this has shown it doesn't exist


*sighs* Lack of context much? Yeah, it's terrible that the victims are required to show up in court. No one will doubt that, no one will argue. The problem is, your invective shows why the government has to take drastic steps. All the hate-filled rhetoric, all the rage, it is present on both sides. The situation in Northern Ireland was out of control, both sides were being lead by people who cared less about the issues and more about killing their enemy, that only leads to ever increasing death tolls. Your frothing at the mouth in regards to the IRA is a bit suspect, though. The Provos lost the moral highground on July 21st, the Brits/Loyalists/Ulsters never had it to begin with. It is a shit situation where neither side can call themselves the good guys.

*sighs* Lack of context much? Yeah, it's terrible that the victims are required to show up in court. No one will doubt that, no one will argue. The problem is, your invective shows why the government has to take drastic steps. All the hate-filled rhetoric, all the rage, it is present on both sides. The situation in Northern Ireland was out of control, both sides were being lead by people who cared less about the issues and more about killing their enemy, that only leads to ever increasing death tolls. Your frothing at the mouth in regards to the IRA is a bit suspect, though. The Provos lost the moral highground on July 21st, the Brits/Loyalists/Ulsters never had it to begin with. It is a shit situation where neither side can call themselves the good guys.

Haha, don't try and tell me what Northern Ireland's like.

Man, I thought the Bush administration was the worst in the world...but this.... At least Bush focuses on capturing terrorists, not letting them walk free...

Recently Parliament in Westminster passed legislation allowing all fugitive Northern Irish terrorists to return home without punishment despite the horrendous crimes they might have committed before 1998. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4464826.stm)



I agree that letting terrorists return home despite horrendous crimes they might have committed is wrong, but letting people that have never been convicted of a crime or have been tried for a crime is perfectly sound. To label someone a criminal because you think they are guilty is not justice. If anything, it makes one a criminal that should be subjected to the judgements that one would presume to pass on everyone else.

Haha, don't try and tell me what Northern Ireland's like.

Yes, what was I thinking. I've never been there, I don't know anyone from there, and everyone knows there aren't any Irish immigrants in Chicago. None. At all. No recent ones. None who left in the past 10 years. None from the past 20. Or 30. On and on. Nope. No idea. I just pulled stuff from my ass. Really.

Yes, what was I thinking. I've never been there, I don't know anyone from there, and everyone knows there aren't any Irish immigrants in Chicago. None. At all. No recent ones. None who left in the past 10 years. None from the past 20. Or 30. On and on. Nope. No idea. I just pulled stuff from my ass. Really.

I think living in Northern Ireland>talking to people who lived there 10 years ago.Unless you're writing their biographies you know little more than most about living in Northern Ireland.

I think living in Northern Ireland>talking to people who lived there 10 years ago.Unless you're writing their biographies you know little more than most about living in Northern Ireland.

I'm sure it is, but why start a thread if you are uninterested in discussion? The point I was making was that simply dismissing something someone else has to say doesn't really add anything. I'm not shooting from the hip, here. No, I've never lived in Northern Ireland, but I know more than one family that left Ireland to escape the violence. I know people on both sides of the argument. Hell, I've been in bars where my accent sets me apart, pictures of Provos hang on the walls and men collect donations "for the cause" between firey speeches. No, I haven't lived there, but its not exactly Newsweek articles and U2 songs, either.