Amnesty demands probe into Lusk robbery shootings

Amnesty International tonight called for an independent inquiry into the killing of two armed robbers in a quiet Irish village as Bertie Ahern backed the gardaí involved.

The human rights campaign group said it needed to be established that gardaí had done everything possible to avoid shooting the men during an attempted robbery at a post office in Lusk, Co Dublin.

Colm Griffin, 33, from Canon Lillis Avenue and Eric Hopkins, 24, from Lower Rutland Street, both in Dublin, were shot dead when gardaí opened fire after confronting a gang of five men inside the premises this morning.

According to witnesses, some officers emerged from a camper van parked close to the post office, while others pulled up in cars before storming the building. It is understood the gang was under surveillance.

A garda spokesman said officers challenged four raiders after they entered the premises shortly after 8am.

“Shots were fired by gardaí,” he said.

“A loaded firearm (side arm) carried by one of the raiders was recovered at the scene. It is currently undergoing forensic examination to definitively establish as to whether or not it was fired.

“Two raiders received gun shot wounds and were transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where they were subsequently pronounced dead. No other persons were injured.

“Four persons – three males and one female – have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently being detained under Section 30, Offence Against the State Act.”

Chief Superintendent Kevin Ludlow of the Cork City Division was immediately appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shootings.

But Amnesty claimed an internal garda investigation was not sufficient and called for the establishment of an independent Garda Ombudsman.

A spokeswoman said: “In cases where lethal force has been used by members of an Garda Siochana an independent investigation needs to be held, both in the interests of the gardaí themselves and in the interests of public confidence and accountability.”

Mr Ahern said the public had been calling for stronger law enforcement and should not go weak-kneed when it is delivered.

“I have every confidence in the gardaí, I have every confidence in the job they do,” he said.

“Day in, day out people are raising the issue of crime with me, the issue that we’re too soft on crime, that we need to be tougher on crime, that we need more resources and more effort.

“When the gardaí respond I hope people don’t get weak-kneed.”

Mr Ahern said he believed the garda operation was planned and said he was satisfied the force would carry out a full and proper inquiry into all aspects of the incident.

“There will be a garda report,” he said.

“The gardaí are out there doing a very difficult job against people who are firing shots and shooting people day in, day out in various locations and the gardaí have to respond.

“We have more gardaí now than we’ve ever had, we have more detectives, we have more special units, they have more resources for dealing with the crime situation and the gardaí are doing a good job.”

Construction worker Paul Harmon, who was on his way to work, arrived at the post office as the gardaí swooped.

“As soon as we pulled up, a police car pulled up in front of us and did a handbrake turn to block our way,” he said.

“As soon as that happened all the police got out of their cars, there were a lot of guns involved.

“Next of all we just heard ‘go, go, go, there’s somebody on the roof’ and then the police officers were running, some of them were running in.

“We had to reverse because a police car was going through past us with a police officer hanging out the window with a gun.”

Irish Labour Party justice spokesman Joe Costello said the incident was yet further evidence of the growing problem of gun crime in Ireland.

“The gardaí are entitled to take appropriate measures to defend themselves from criminals who carry weapons and who use them during the course of armed crimes,” he said.

However, Mr Costello said there should be an independent inquiry into any incident in which police open fire.

“Any loss of life is regrettable and where people die as a result of garda action, there must be proper procedures for an independent investigation into such incidents – as there is, for instance, in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“I welcome the speedy announcement of an internal Garda inquiry, but this may not be sufficient to deal with legitimate matters of public concern that may arise.

“In this regard it is particularly regrettable that almost four years after the original announcement, we still do not have a Garda Ombudsman’s Office, which would be the appropriate institution to carry out such an investigation.”