Suzanne Breen writing in the Belfast Telegraph finds nothing of merit in the New IRA statement on its killing of Lyra McKee

The New IRA's statement on the killing of Lyra McKee fell shamefully short of the words that were needed.

This was merely a paramilitary group going through the motions rather than one showing any true and heartfelt remorse.

It did not offer an ounce of comfort to those who loved Lyra.

It failed to throw any light or understanding on what happened on the streets of the Creggan last Thursday that led to a 29-year-old woman's life being brutally snatched from her.

The hypocrisy of those republicans, who are so expert at demanding truth and transparency from everyone else, has been laid bare.

The New IRA statement dressed up what was a pathetic display by toy soldiers - totally out of their depth and pretending to be real ones - as a bold engagement with 'the enemy'.

That it effectively engaged in victim-blaming was low.

"Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces," it said.

This was not a case of an embedded journalist who knew the risks of what they were doing.

This was not a reporter behaving recklessly in a war zone.

Lyra McKee was standing well back from the rioters with others, including a 14-year-old girl.

She would never have expected that a lunatic would fire from long range at an armoured Land Rover with a handgun.

In similar situations, previous IRAs have fired shots in the air. But this one decided to play Russian roulette with the lives of working-class nationalists in the Creggan, those it then bizarrely claims to have been defending that night.

This delusional nonsense was seen in a statement from the dissident party Saoradh at the weekend welcoming the release of two teenagers who had been questioned by the PSNI about Lyra's killing.

"Regardless of the gravity of what transpired, kidnapping innocent youths away from their families is unjustifiable," Saoradh said.

Kidnapping, really? Is that an accurate description of arrests where those detained (rightly) had access to solicitors and had their police interviews recorded?

The sole use of emotive language was pointedly not in connection with the most terrible wrong committed, the gravest human rights abuse, the taking of a young and innocent life.

Lyra McKee was someone who believed in justice for the Bloody Sunday families.

She thought the world of Kate and Linda Nash whose 19 year-old brother Willie was shot dead by the Paratroopers in 1972.

She spoke so highly of Helen Deery whose 15-year-old brother Manus was killed by the British Army four months later.

Online, Helen rounded on Lyra's killers. "I've cried more in the last few days than I have in years," she said. "Lyra was smart, sassy, geeky and quirky, and deeply so very beautiful". And she added: 'Not in my name'.

Pathetic New IRA Statement Did Not Offer One Ounce Of Comfort To Any One

Suzanne Breen writing in the Belfast Telegraph finds nothing of merit in the New IRA statement on its killing of Lyra McKee

The New IRA's statement on the killing of Lyra McKee fell shamefully short of the words that were needed.

This was merely a paramilitary group going through the motions rather than one showing any true and heartfelt remorse.

It did not offer an ounce of comfort to those who loved Lyra.

It failed to throw any light or understanding on what happened on the streets of the Creggan last Thursday that led to a 29-year-old woman's life being brutally snatched from her.

The hypocrisy of those republicans, who are so expert at demanding truth and transparency from everyone else, has been laid bare.

The New IRA statement dressed up what was a pathetic display by toy soldiers - totally out of their depth and pretending to be real ones - as a bold engagement with 'the enemy'.

That it effectively engaged in victim-blaming was low.

"Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces," it said.

This was not a case of an embedded journalist who knew the risks of what they were doing.

This was not a reporter behaving recklessly in a war zone.

Lyra McKee was standing well back from the rioters with others, including a 14-year-old girl.

She would never have expected that a lunatic would fire from long range at an armoured Land Rover with a handgun.

In similar situations, previous IRAs have fired shots in the air. But this one decided to play Russian roulette with the lives of working-class nationalists in the Creggan, those it then bizarrely claims to have been defending that night.

This delusional nonsense was seen in a statement from the dissident party Saoradh at the weekend welcoming the release of two teenagers who had been questioned by the PSNI about Lyra's killing.

"Regardless of the gravity of what transpired, kidnapping innocent youths away from their families is unjustifiable," Saoradh said.

Kidnapping, really? Is that an accurate description of arrests where those detained (rightly) had access to solicitors and had their police interviews recorded?

The sole use of emotive language was pointedly not in connection with the most terrible wrong committed, the gravest human rights abuse, the taking of a young and innocent life.

Lyra McKee was someone who believed in justice for the Bloody Sunday families.

She thought the world of Kate and Linda Nash whose 19 year-old brother Willie was shot dead by the Paratroopers in 1972.

She spoke so highly of Helen Deery whose 15-year-old brother Manus was killed by the British Army four months later.

Online, Helen rounded on Lyra's killers. "I've cried more in the last few days than I have in years," she said. "Lyra was smart, sassy, geeky and quirky, and deeply so very beautiful". And she added: 'Not in my name'.

3 comments:

  1. I respectfully disagree.

    Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces.

    As long as the British are in Ireland there will be an IRA trying to expel them.

    And this ongoing colonial spectacle will always be fodder for the news.

    Because it sells books and papers, attracts advertisers and gives people careers.

    In that regard she was a journalist by choice in a conflict zone covering the conflict.

    If she didn’t know the risks then she should not have been there.

    And while I don’t think her behavior was in any way reckless…

    She should have expected that an armoured Land Rover in Derry would be a target.

    Because they typically are.

    Nevertheless, whoever fired those shots were reckless and inept like so many IRA ops.

    So inept you have to wonder if counter-insurgents are behind these own goals.

    Since Mckee’s death was really no different than Jean Smyth-Campbell’s death in 1972.

    Smith-Campbell was also shot and killed while sitting as a passenger in a car in Belfast.

    Shot my mistake by then British General Frank Kitson’s secret MRF assassination team.

    And the UK government blamed Smith-Campbell’s death on the IRA for years.

    Which isn’t to say that the IRA is blameless and without innocent blood on its hands.

    After all they executed Jean McConville for allegedly giving information to the Bits.

    And they also executed, among others, Joanne Mathers for handing out election flyers.

    They have been shockingly incompetent and or just rotten with counter-insurgents all along.

    However, one IRA’s defeat has never been another IRA’s defeatism.

    Because political violence works!

    Just ask the Taliban or the Viet Cong or for that matter Tony Blair or Margaret Thatcher.

    Also don’t forget British gun boat diplomacy and Frank Kitson counter-insurgency tactics.

    He even wrote a book about it for the UK government which he titled Low Intensity Operations.

    That said, if Lyra McKee was killed by a bull while covering the bull run at Pamplona…

    Would you blame the bull?

    Militaries and para-militaries are like bulls by their very nature violent.

    Not surprisingly journalists who cover them, like moths to flames, are sometimes killed by them.

    But through no fault of the journalist who was just doing her job.

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    Replies
    1. Really pathetic attempt at shifting the blame there Eoghan.

      Delete
  2. A contemptible screed. Unlike the "Pamploma Bull" militaries and paramilitaries have agency and the capacity to take responsible for their actions.

    The New IRA have no mandate from any the wider Catholic/Nationalist/Republican populace especially communities in the Creggan that these glorified but lethal toy soldiers purport to be the defenders of.

    ReplyDelete