Raymond McCord Jnr was murdered by the UVF in Newtownabbey in 1997 – his father, a unionist from the Shankill
area, has since tirelessly campaigned for the loyalist murderer of his son, who is widely believed to be a
Special Branch informant, to be bought to justice. The latest step in his campaign has seen him meet with
the Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams:
Adams backs father of UVF victim
Sinn Fein News, 28 February 2006
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams yesterday held talks with the father of a
man killed by unionist murder gang, the UVF.
Raymond McCord met Mr Adams at the party's west Belfast headquarters to
discuss the UVF killing of Raymond McCord Jr.
The father claims a UVF man involved in the murder has been protected
because he is a police Special Branch agent.
Raymond McCord Jr, a 22-year-old former RAF airman, was beaten to death and
dumped in a north Belfast quarry in 1997.
Mr Adams yesterday pledged to raise the case later this week with British
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
After the 45-minute meeting, the Belfast West MP said:
"There is an
abundance of evidence to prove the existence of collusion between British
state forces and unionist paramilitaries.
We also know from other cases, including that of Pat Finucane, of the
lengths to which the Special Branch and other British agencies will go to
cover up their involvement in state sponsored murder.
The McCord family want the truth. Like all families they have the right to
the truth and Sinn Fein will do whatever we can to help them in this
respect".
Nuala O'Loan, the North's Police Ombudsman, is expected to report later this
year on her investigation into the collusion allegations.
Mr McCord has already held talks with SDLP leader Mark Durkan, Alliance
Party leader David Ford and Ulster Unionist Party leader Reg Empey.
He is trying to arrange meetings with Bertie Ahern and Democratic Unionist
Party leader Ian Paisley.
Mr McCord, a Protestant, admitted he was concerned at how the unionist
community would react to his meeting with the Sinn Féin leader.
However, he added: "What I say to people is that I have done this in the
open. I have come to meet Gerry Adams in the open, whereas representatives
of the UVF met with republicans in Clonard Monastery and went down and had
secret meetings with the Dublin government. I have nothing to hide.
Nearly 30 people were murdered by this one group but not one person has
been convicted and not one person has been charged. What does that tell the
rest of the people in this country?"
Outlining his case, Mr McCord said: "My son was murdered by members of the
UVF on the orders of a Special Branch informer. There was no proper
investigation. There was cover-up after cover-up."
When it was put to Mr McCord that his allegations could have serious
consequences for the authorities, he replied: "They deserve it. They are not
above the law."
"Nothing but support ..."
IrelandClick.com, 2 March 2006
Speaking after Monday’s meeting Raymond McCord said he had been well received in the
Sinn Féin offices on the Falls Road.
“Gerry Adams was in Dublin yesterday (Wednesday) with Bertie Ahern where he
raised the case, and he is meeting Tony Blair soon when he will also raise
it. He is asking for a full independent enquiry into my son’s murder and
Sinn Féin are supporting moves for an independent judge to be brought in.”
As he left the meeting on Monday, Raymond McCord said he was nervous as to
the reaction he would get because of the meeting, but says that there has
been nothing but support.
“There hasn’t been a word said against me. The only thing that has happened
is that I have got calls from people on the Shankill Road who are telling me
they understand why I went, and the general consensus is that my own people
in the unionist parties have let me down.”
The North Belfast man said he made it clear to the Sinn Féin leader that he
did not share his political view, but the meeting was conducted cordially.
“I was made to feel welcome and Gerry Adams accepted I was a unionist and
loyalist and there was no conflict concerning it. I told them straight that
until I am convinced otherwise that myself and people like me would be
better in a united Ireland we want to remain part of Britain and he accepts
that. We had a good meeting and it showed me that unionist and nationalist
people can sit down and talk without shouting and bawling and blaming each
other.
“The meeting was very beneficial for me because I saw a side of nationalism
I had never seen before – its not my politics but it was nice to witness at
first hand that I was not treated badly.”
