MEPs back McCartney sisters’ fight for justice

THE European Parliament yesterday approved an unprecedented motion on the use of EU funds to help the McCartney family to bring the IRA killers of their brother to justice.

A total of 555 MEPs voted for the motion, while four voted against, with 48 abstentions.

The resolution will make anti-terrorist funds available to finance a civil action if the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is unable to bring a criminal prosecution in the case.

IRA members are alleged to have taken part in the fatal stabbing and beating of father-of-two Mr McCartney outside Magennis’s Bar in Belfast last January.

Yesterday’s resolution claimed the 33-year-old “was brutally murdered by members of the self-styled Irish Republican Army, who attempted to cover up the crime and ordered all witnesses to be silent about the involvement of IRA members”.

It accused Sinn Féin of failing to call on witnesses and those responsible to cooperate with police.

And it expressed support for the McCartney family’s fight for justice, praising the sisters and Mr McCartney’s partner for refusing to accept the “code of silence” and “bravely and persistently” challenging the IRA by demanding justice.

Sinn Féin MEPs Bairbre de Brún and Mary Lou McDonald refused to back the resolution, endorsing a separate motion less critical of the party and the IRA, but backing the McCartneys’ determination to see the culprits face trial.

A sister of the dead man, Catherine McCartney, who was in Strasbourg for the vote, said their only option may be a civil action.

The police have been stymied so far because of IRA intimidation and she expects that soon the police will tell the family they can make no further progress.

“So far there has been nothing. We have been watching and waiting for a break but it looks like it’s not going to happen,” she said.

She hoped the parliament vote would encourage witnesses to come forward.

“The vote is remarkable. It is incredible to think that people from parties all over Europe supported it.”

She said EU money would allow them to call Sinn Féin’s bluff as the party insists witnesses are not coming forward because they do not trust the police, but no police would be involved in a civil action.