Blair accused of double standards on terrorism

The Orange Order tonight accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of double standards over terrorism in the North and around the world.

Orange Order Grand Master Robert Saulters urged colleagues to lobby MPs and peers to radically alter the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill after he claimed it was an obscenity.

The bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons yesterday, will enable paramilitaries and rogue members of the security forces to avoid jail for offences committed before the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Mr Saulters contrasted the legislation with the tougher stance adopted by Mr Blair against global terrorism in the Terrorism Bill.

“The proposals governing so-called IRA on-the-runs make it perfectly clear that the prime minister believes that those who slaughter innocent people in, for example, a town square in Co Fermanagh, should be absolved of their crimes, while those even suspected of planning to do the same thing on the London Underground should be locked up for months without charge,” he said.

“Mr Blair sought to justify holding suspects for up to 90 days without trial as a necessary measure to protect the rights of British citizens to be free from the threat of terrorism.

“What about the rights of British citizens in Northern Ireland to receive justice through the courts for their loved ones slaughtered at places like Enniskillen, Claudy, Kingsmills or Tullyvallen?”

Under the bill, on-the-run terror suspects as well as civilians, police and soldiers suspected of crimes before 1998 will have to apply to a certification commissioner to avoid prison.

If the commissioner discovers applicants are wanted for specific offences, their cases will be referred to a special tribunal with Crown Court powers, which will consider the evidence against them and rule on their guilt or innocence.

Applicants will not be required to attend the hearings and will be given a certificate guaranteeing they will not be arrested, questioned or held in remand.

If the tribunal finds them guilty, they will be issued with a licence similar to that given to prisoners released early under the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland Office Criminal Justice Minister David Hanson denied yesterday the legislation amounted to an amnesty.

“Those applying under the scheme will be prosecuted and could be found guilty and be sentenced in a judicial process,” he insisted.

“They will, however, be released under licence like prisoners were under the Good Friday Agreement.”

With more than 300 members of the Orange Order murdered during the Troubles, Mr Saulters urged his colleagues to lobby for amendments in the House of Commons and House of Lords.

“Blair suffered a humiliating defeat over his 90-day detention measure. In the interests of justice and sustainable peace in Northern Ireland we must campaign to ensure that the government doesn’t get its way over on-the-runs either,” he said.

During Business Questions in the House of Commons Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds also attacked the legislation.

The North Belfast MP said: “The government must realise that its amnesty proposals for IRA terrorists are opposed by both the public and police officers in Northern Ireland.

“Far from being tough on terrorism, the prime minister is sending out a signal of abject appeasement of the IRA in Northern Ireland.

“Indeed this amnesty proposal even goes beyond the provisions of the Belfast Agreement.

“It does, however, flow from the early release of terrorist prisoners agreed by the pro-Agreement parties as part of that agreement.”