Arms trial 'scapegoat' dies

A leading figure in the arms trial that rocked Ireland soon after the start of the Northern Ireland disturbances has died less than two months after receiving €30,000 in libel damages.

Captain James Kelly was an Irish Army intelligence officer at the time he faced arms import charges, together with former Taoiseach Charles Haughey and two other men. All were acquitted.

Although sacked as a minister ahead of the trial, Mr Haughey recovered politically and went on to head Fianna Fáil and three separate governments.

But Captain Kelly had to leave the army and said the affair destroyed his life.

The former officer oversaw the procurement of an arms consignment from Germany, which prompted the trial, but claimed he had Government authorisation for the mission.

He received the damages in May, as well as an apology from the authors of a book which examined the arms trial – described by some historians as the most dramatic legal event since the 1922 foundation of the independent state - and events that led up to it.

Yesterday, former Taoiseach John Bruton called on the Government to make immediate moves to clear Captain Kelly’s name before he died.

Captain Kelly’s daughter, Suzanne, said that her father had made it his life’s work to clear his name and he had been holding on to get an apology from the state on his deathbed.

Proceedings were understood to be motion through the High Court in a bid to finally clear Mr Kelly’s name. He died of cancer after a short illness.

Labour Party justice spokesman Joe Costello said it was time for the state to make a posthumous apology to Captain Kelly for the way he was treated during and after the trial.

He said: “Evidence which came to light in recent years vindicates the campaign by Captain Kelly to have his name cleared.

“He suffered more than 30 years of innuendo and unproven allegation, and deserves a posthumous apology for his treatment.”

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said: “Captain Kelly was a member of the Irish Army who served his country well over many years.

“His involvement in the arms trial highlighted the profound responsibility and pressures that can be involved in discharging ones duties on behalf of the state.

“He recently succeeded in having his good name cleared in court in respect of his actions during the arms crisis and it is regrettable that he failed to receive a similar response from the Irish government before his death.”

Caoimhghin O'Caolain, leader of Sinn Féin in the Dáil, added: “I knew James Kelly for many years and always admired his tenacity and his integrity in his long campaign for truth and justice.

“James Kelly was one of those scapegoated in the early 1970s by powerful sections of the establishment in this state who refused to face up to their responsibilities and who abandoned the nationalists in the Six Counties to their fate.

“The Irish government should now fully disclose all records in relation to the arms trial, admit the responsibility of the cabinet of the time and fully exonerate James Kelly and his co-defendants.”