‘Supergrass’ terrorist trial begins in Northern Ireland

Fourteen alleged loyalist paramilitaries face charges including murder, after two UVF members turn state’s witness Loyalist demonstrators have gathered outside Belfast’s Laganside courts as the first major terrorist “supergrass” trial in Northern Ireland begins. The relatives of 14 men accused of murder, blackmail, intimidation and a range of other charges have arrived with placards to protest against the use of two informers in the case. The testimony of two brothers, Robert and David Stewart – self-confessed members of the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force – will form the crown’s main case against the accused. The families of the accused are being led by Progressive Unionist party spokesman, Ken Wilkinson, who has accused the authorities of selectively targeting loyalists for past crimes while ignoring those committed by republicans during the Troubles. It is the first “supergrass” trial in 26 years and a huge security operation is under way to prevent trouble in the courts district for a trial that will run for at least three months. The last “supergrass” system put dozens of IRA, Irish National Liberation Army and loyalist paramiltaries behind bars from 1982 to 1985 when a high court judge questioned the reliability of one of the self-confessed terrorist turned witnesses. Nine alleged UVF men, including former leading member Mark Haddock, are charged with the murder of UDA leader Tommy English in October 2000. They and another five alleged UVF men also face a range of other charges. English was shot dead in front of his wife at their home in Newtownabbey on the outskirts of north Belfast during a feud between the UDA and the UVF. The 14 defendants will be represented by 24 barristers and eight firms of solicitors and the trial is expected to last for 11 weeks. The police investigation that led to the arrests was triggered by a damning report from the former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, in 2007. She said a UVF gang based in the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast had been involved in up to 15 murders and that Special Branch had allowed its informers within the UVF to act with impunity as state agents. Northern Ireland UK security and terrorism Henry McDonald guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 6, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.