The Guildford pub bombings of 1974 are among the earliest instances being probed by an institution established to scrutinise the offences committed during the time of the Troubles. The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information (ICRIR) disclosed on Monday that it had thus far received 85 enquiries since it commenced operations four months ago. Of those, eight cases, including the Guildford pub bombings, have progressed to the ‘information recovery stage’.
This commission was formed as part of the UK government’s contentious Legacy Act, which has met with stern resistance from main political factions in Northern Ireland, the Irish government, and groups advocating for victims’ rights.
As the ICRIR commenced accepting requests on the 1st of May, it published its first update, which mentioned the investigation into the Guildford pub bombings. No information about any other cases was disclosed at this time.
The bombings resulted in the deaths of soldiers Caroline Slater (18), William Forsyth (18), John Hunter (17) and Ann Hamilton (19) as well as Paul Craig (22), a civilian. The attacks were performed by the IRA at the peak of the Troubles, on October 5th, 1974, with the first bomb set off at the Horse and Groom pub, frequented by soldiers, and another exploding at the Seven Stars only half an hour later.
Following these events, the Guildford Four – Gerry Conlon, Paul Hill, Paddy Armstrong and Carole Richardson – were charged for the bombings and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1975. However, their sentences were quashed in 1989, making it one of the most renowned miscarriages of justice in British legal precedence.
Headed by retired judge Declan Morgan, previously serving as the lord chief justice for Northern Ireland, the ICRIR is committed to full disclosure and accountability, as indicated by his recent public address. Morgan stated that the ICRIR will endeavour to deliver an unfiltered narrative of past events, which may prove complex and challenging given their age of up to 50 years. He emphasised the need for thoroughness, caution, and solid proof to ensure validity in findings and potential charges.
Earlier, the Legacy Act, which transitioned current criminal and civil probes and inquests related to Troubles-related deaths to the committee, was challenged by the Irish Government. They lodged an interstate case against the UK Conservative government at the time, arguing that it violated the European Convention on Human Rights. Even with commitments from the succeeding Labour government to revise and supplant the act, this legal challenge from Ireland remains active.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, when queried about the role of the ICRIR, accentuated the differing stances of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government from its predecessor, particularly concerning legacy matters, which he described as a “significant change”. At the British Irish Association conference, Martin interacted with Northern Secretary Hilary Benn, stating the need for comprehensive reform.
On Monday, in the prelude to a Newry event, Martin lauded Benn’s decisions regarding reviving Troubles’ inquests and civil cases, along with retracting plans for conditional immunity for individuals guilty of conflict-related killings. He expressed his desire for a final resolution, recognising the necessity for closure for the victims’ relatives.
Reflecting on the commission’s aggregate of case files, Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice – a Belfast-based human rights NGO, insinuated that the body’s creation had resulted in a significant slowdown of legacy investigations. He pointed out that “Four months in, the ICRIR only has a caseload of eight investigations. This is very low,” contrasting with the volume handled by the Police Ombudsman, inquests, civil litigation, and police teams – all of which were dissolved by the Legacy Act.
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