Sinn Féin integrity brought into critical focus -Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy convicted

THOUGH Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy was convicted on nine tax charges yesterday his conviction has very important implications that reach far beyond the fate of a 66-year-old farmer from Co Louth.

Those implications take on a particular urgency as an election will be called in a matter of weeks.

The conviction, yet again, brings the credibility of the longest serving political leader in these islands, and by association his party Sinn Féin, into the most critical focus.

Gerry Adams has supported Murphy for decades and publically defended him in 2006 after security organisations from both sides of the border raided Murphy’s farm premises. At that time Mr Adams described Murphy as “a good republican”.

Police and excise officers found several tankers, two shotguns, over 30,000 cigarettes and the equivalent of €800,000 in sterling. Four fuel laundering facilities attached to a major network of storage tanks, some underground, were also discovered as were 8,000 litres of fuel. A good republican indeed.

As late as last weekend former SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon reiterated his belief that a blind eye has been turned to some of these borderland activities as part of a tacit deal to end terrorism and secure the peace. “Not a single person, North or South, has got a custodial sentence for diesel laundering. I can’t figure that out because hardly a week goes by when they haven’t found another shed,” said a Mr Mallon.

Mr Mallon’s charges are so very serious that irrespective of any event yesterday they deserve a convincing answer because his suspicions hang over the North’s too-often tenuous normalisation process. There is simply too much at stake to accept the idea that certain activities are give a free rein. Already the contentious issue of clearances given, almost surreptitiously, to the ‘on-the-runs’ by Tony Blair’s administration jeopardised the trust building so essential in any post-conflict society.

It would not be surprising if Sinn Féin suggested that the timing of the conviction might be politically motivated but that innuendo can be dismissed just as easily as his suggestions that he — Mr Adams — was never a member of the IRA. They can be put in the same category as suggestions that the PIRA no longer exists, the same category as the responses to allegations that senior IRA activists were involved in sexual assaults. The possibility of that charge was recognised by Judge Butler who said the court was aware of widespread publicity around the trial and references to Murphy’s “unconnected activities”.

“While the court is wholly aware of that it has no bearing whatsoever upon the Revenue charges,” he said.

In two months or so we will elect a government. Sinn Féin anticipates more than the 14 seats they hold. That can only happen if a large swathe of the electorate ignores the implications of yesterday’s conviction: that someone convicted of criminal activity can be regarded as a “good republican” by the leader of Sinn Féin. It is that simple, that black and white, no matter what spin is put on it.