THE BRITISH government now has a 'shoot to kill' policy against suspected Republican activists. The leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, John Hume, has denounced as "legalised murder' the shooting dead of seven men by British army in the last two months. In the same period they have also made attempts on the lives of three others.
Thatcher herself has denied such a change security policy by the SITES Northerment. elan secretary, John Gowrie, has said he would resign if such a charge proved to be true. However so overwhelming that arch reactionary Cardinal Fiaich and other senior Northern Ireland Catholic churchmen have joined in the denunciation. Even the Called an acknowledging strength of the evidence, warning of the the Royal Ulster Constabulary and consequences of this turn in policy.
The Irish Times quotes *senior RUC SOLI COS confirming that a change in policy occured shortly after the Assembly elections in October. And the Sunday Times has revealed that 'anti-terrorist Special Subport UTES have been formed by the RUC. These aptly named SS units are run by the RUC and the British army undercover teams.
seems that such a new strategy has been embarked upon by Britain in ly successful tactics of Proparticular their 10 percent preference the Assembly With such overwhelming support for Sinn Fein from the nationalist population strategists believe, ALLUL ding to une Irish Times, *that more direct action against suspected terrorists could cause no furLiCE alienation opinion' This tactic LICW coupled with the USC Or intormers to indict large numbers of Republican activists and others on the say-so of a single individual.
At present such a mass show trial is underway in a Belfast court. Thirty eight people face charges ranging murder to membership the IRA on the mere word of Christopher Black who claims to member of the IRA. Many former of them face sentences of up to 20 years imprisonment.
Gerry O'Brien, representative of the Belfast based Relatives for Justice Group explained how such informers are created: 'They lift someone and keep them incom municado for seven days.
GUATEMALA
blackmail, psychologically Dressurise people to turn 'informer' They have been known to offer as much as £100,000. But more frequently they use blackmail' The tactics o1 ine Relatives for Justice relatives of accused the in forme created the conditions where a number formers have recanted in this, Black disappeared inpolice custody at the end of 1981.
The police were afraid that Black might recant that the: caused an outcry by invoking an ancient law, the bill of indict AN ment, by which all pre liminary hearings dispensed with avoiding any prior appearance by Black.
The police are so nervous that when his parents called out to him when he tinally appeared in court, Black was rushed out and the judge with two years imprisonment.
This method of attacking the nationalist popula as with the shoot to kill policy shows the real of British rule This 'internment by the back door' only works because of Diplock Courts peculiar Northern These courts simply consist of thre judges with no Jury . Onl La set up would so reactiv SCULCHCO the sole evidence of an tormer These despicable Not British imperialism can help expose the obvious illegality of British rule of the six coun ties. • Ban plastic bullets, a labour movement con ference to held Saturday February, 11am at UMIST, Barnes Wallis Building, Sack ville St. Manchester 1.
Credentials and information from: Box 15 164/6 Ditch, ROHICHI Manchester M3 4BN.