Plans of Victims' Forum to be published

Controversial plans for a forum in the North to give a voice to the victims and survivors of the Troubles are published today.

The forum, which is still being piloted, is intended to consult on what services the victims need and to express their views and concerns.

Its membership includes one of the sisters of Robert McCartney, stabbed to death by republicans, as well as the relatives of people shot dead by members of the British Army and RUC.

Some unionists say only those they term innocent people deserve victim status with nationalists and republicans saying everyone, no matter who they were or how they died, were victims of the conflict in one way or another.

The 30 members of the pilot Victims Forum come from both camps including Willie Frazer of Love Ulster who refuses to term perpetrators victims as well as former republican prisoners and relatives of IRA men who lost their lives.

The list includes Michael Grimes who lost his wife, daughter and unborn twin granddaughters in the dissident republican bombing at Omagh and Alan McBride whose wife and father-in-law died in the IRA Shankill bombing.