Allister rebukes de Brun in Strasbourg
21 April 2009
WITH the Western world united against acts of terrorism, it is time Sinn Fein MEP Barbre de Brun lived up to EU expectations by herself denouncing the IRA's terrorist past, Jim Allister told the European Parliament today (Tues 21 April).
With police and soldiers in Northern Ireland still facing the severe threat of dissident Republican terrorism de Brun should face up to what democracy expected in the EU and in Ulster, said the Traditional Unionist MEP and QC speaking in Strasbourg.
At the opening of the April session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Leader of the Traditional Unionist Party raised the Easter eulogy of Sinn Fein MEP de Brun. He said it was repugnant for her to honour dead IRA terrorists. Declaring there is nothing "decent or honourable" about terrorism, past or present, he said de Brun's comments put her at variance with everything the Parliament had ever said condemning terrorism and its apologists.
In the course of his speech Mr Allister said:-
"Glorification of terrorism takes many forms, but when a member of this House eulogises vile murderers, whose killing careers came to an end when they met their just deserts at the hands of the lawful security forces, then that member has put herself at variance with everything this House has ever said in condemning terrorism and those who sanitise and justify it.
"Yet, this is exactly what Sinn Fein member de Brun did on Easter Sunday, when she described IRA terrorists as "decent, selfless and honourable". There is nothing decent or honourable about terrorism, past or present, and shame on any member here who proclaims such obscene adulation of men of blood."
