McDowell wanted royal pardon for ‘household name’ IRA suspects

Former justice minister Michael McDowell privately appealed for "household name" IRA suspects to be granted royal pardons.

The arch-critic of Sinn Féin and the Provos – who once compared the republican movement to Nazis – was attorney general at the time.

Documents uncovered in the furore over the controversial on-the-runs scheme show he told his British counterpart Gareth Williams that the British government should use the contentious measure during a critical stage in the fledgling peace process.