Pressure mounts for review of Teebane file

Unionists last night demanded the immediate reopening or the investigation into the Teebane massacre after victims' relatives claimed the police refused to act on viable DNA evidence.

Trevor Clarke lost his brother-in-law Nigel McKee, 22, in the bomb and was one of those who worked with the Rev William McCrea MP to have the investigation reopened.

"Five years ago we pressed to have tests done on the detonator and sweetie wrappers found at the scene and were told by senior police officers that viable DNA. and a fingerprint were recovered," he said, "But when we pressed to have the people who were originally arrested brought in again for DNA sampling and fingerprinting we were told that it would be against their human rights.

"We just don't know what to believe because we always felt nobody was really interested in pursuing the investigation. Was it negligence or might the police have been protecting an IRA informer?" he asked.

DUP MEP Jim Allister, a QC specialising in criminal law said he was sceptical of the police reasons for halting the investigation.

"If there has been a basis to arrest these people before, then those grounds may well still exist to bring them in For DNA tests and fingerprinting."

He said police were also free to ask suspects to voluntarily provide samples to rule themselves out of inquiries.

"Technically, if DNA evidence was obtained the case should never have been closed and should be reopened immediately."

Bomb survivor Robert O'Neill has collected evidence he believes shows a police cover-up over the lack of security cover for the men who were working on Lisanelly Army base.

He was assured by two Special Branch officers he would be advised of the date of the inquest, but they failed to do so.

"I met them again five years ago but they just shrugged it off by saying they couldn't bring everyone to the hearing. I think the whole thing is a cover-up."

On Wednesday the News Letter approached the PSNI about the relatives' claims. However, after 24 hours the PSNI decided not to comment and referred all questions to the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team, which was formed last year. The organisation began working on cases from 1969 last year and it will be a long time before they reach the atrocities of 1992, including Teebane.

"We take cases in chronological order which is fairest to those families who have been waiting the longest. However, we are always willing to listen to the specific concerns of families and we would encourage any families with such issues to contact us directly," said a spokeswoman. "The team will be re-examining Teebane to establish if there are evidential opportunities which can be followed up or any new lines of investigation to try to answer questions which families ask."
UUP Policing Board member Danny Kennedy urged the immediate reopening of the case "I am not sure that refusing to arrest individuals on grounds of their human rights has ever been legally tested," he said. "I would have thought if there was evidence linking the crime to the suspects it should have been pursued."

"One clear way to do this would be through the Police Ombudsman. If Gerry Adams can have the case into his shooting in Belfast reopened immediately then so can the Teebane families."

The Ombudsman said it has no record of any complaint having been made in relation to Teebane.

William McCrea MP has supported the families since the bombing.

He said: "I do feel this has got to be reopened immediately and it looks like the Ombudsman will be the route to take. If Gerry Adams can have his case pulled to the front of the queue then why not eight innocent Protestant workmen employed by the Government?" News Letter 20th January 2007