IRA victims' families vow to boycott inquests

IRA victims' families vow to boycott inquests

The families of the IRA Birmingham pub bombing victims have vowed to boycott the new inquests into their deaths after a coroner ruled out naming alleged suspects in evidence.

A statement published by Justice4the21, the main campaign group representing many of the relatives, hours before the pre-inquest review said it will 'no longer participate' after the issue of perpetrators was ruled out by a coroner. 

The group said its decision was based on the fact that material held by Devon and Cornwall Police, who reviewed the original criminal investigation, had not been disclosed to the families.

The families of the IRA Birmingham pub bombing victims have vowed to boycott the new inquests into their deaths. Pictured is the Mulberry Bush in Birmingham in November 1974

The group said its decision was based on the fact that material held by Devon and Cornwall Police, who reviewed the original criminal investigation, had not been disclosed to the families. Pictured is the Mulberry Bush

Pictured is Pat Sheppard, who was injured in one of the bombings, being helped by a man

The relatives also made reference to a recent BBC interview with self-confessed IRA bomber Michael Hayes, saying 'it remains unclear how the information provided by PIRA (Provisional IRA) bomb-maker Mick Hayes will be investigated and by who'.

It said that, even if that material was disclosed, it would seek a judicial review of the coroner's ruling on the scope of future inquests.

The campaigners' statement concluded: 'Until the material held by the coroner relating to the investigation by the Devon and Cornwall Police is disclosed, we can no see point in endorsing through our presence, and through the presence of our legal team, this inquest.'

Four men,  including a police officer, are seen carrying out a body after the bombings

A recent BBC interview with self-confessed IRA bomber Michael Hayes, saying 'it remains unclear how the information provided by PIRA (Provisional IRA) bomb-maker Mick Hayes will be investigated and by who 

Julie Hambleton, sister of Birmingham pub bombings victim Maxine Hambleton, speaks to the media outside Council House in Solihull in June last year

Justice4the21 have said they will be seeking crowd-funding to back their bid for a High Court review of the coroner's decision.

The latest in a series of pre-inquest hearings is set to start on Thursday morning, ahead of fresh inquests which are expected to start in September.

Irish Police asked to interview Michael Hayes

Irish police have been asked to interview self-confessed IRA bomber Michael Hayes by lawyers acting for the Birm ingham pub bombings inquests.

Mr Hayes, 69, recently told a BBC interview that he accepted 'collective responsibility' for the 1974 double bombing but did not know who planted the devices which killed 21 people.

A pre-inquest review in Birmingham on Thursday was told by lawyers for coroner Peter Thornton QC that 'a request to the Irish gardai to interview Mr Hayes' had been made.

Peter Skelton QC, counsel to the inquests, added: 'We're discussing our involvement in any interview with West Midlands Police.'

The force also confirmed in the hearing that it was 'also considering an application for My Hayes to be interviewed'.

Footage of the interview has already been requested.

Lawyers for 10 of the bereaved families, KRW Law, sa id they had written to the coroner, Peter Thornton QC, on Tuesday, to request the latest hearing be vacated.

In a statement it said: 'We made this request on the basis that we asked the coroner to disclose to all the interested persons - including our clients - the material he examined from the Devon and Cornwall Police investigation of the bombings and the subsequent West Midlands Police inquiry.

'The coroner relied on this material in part to rule out of scope the issue of perpetrators, which would include the recent comment by self-confessed PIRA bomb-maker Mick Hayes.'

It concluded: 'As this is the final opportunity for an independent human rights compliant investigation into the bombings, this inquest must be as inclusive as possible, otherwise our clients fear it will deliver only what is already in the public domain.

'Important issues such as per petration of the bombings will be allowed to remain a matter not subject to public scrutiny and remain at the fringes of society subject to myth and rumour for years to come.

'This position would be most detrimental to our clients and to wider society.' 

 

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