How Sinn Fein henchmen are armed
19 September 2009
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister
Suspicion and secrecy has long surrounded how many convicted IRA terrorists, despite their records, have been granted personal protection weapons. The law prohibits a convicted person from lawfully holding a firearm, unless the Secretary of State removes the prohibition. The ability to remove the prohibition presently lies in Article 63 of The Firearms (NI) Order 2004, a clause which gives the Secretary of State a remarkable and convenient degree of latitude.
On foot of a series of FOI requests I have established that in the last 6 years 20 prohibitions have been lifted and of these 14 were in respect of persons with terrorist convictions! Moreover, the rate of approval by the Secretary of State substantially increased in 2008 (in 2005 it was 1 in 10, in 2008 it was 1 in 4) and there are presently 17 applications outstanding.
It is my belief that many of these prohibitions were removed to placate Sinn Fein. Whether Sinn Fein ‘bodyguards’ are lawfully armed has long been shrouded in secrecy. The route to facilitate such is greatly eased by the wide discretion given to the Secretary of State by Article 63. The legislation does not lay down any criteria or factors which the Secretary of State must take into account, leaving him a free hand. Indeed, he does not even have to consult the PSNI, far less attain a police recommendation in favour. Thereby, political considerations can be, and I suspect often are, decisive. This, I believe, is wrong and dangerous.
At a time when former security personnel are being stripped of their PPWs, it is monstrous to think that convicted terrorists are being lawfully armed. I have reason to believe that at least one of the Sinn Fein activists to benefit from this shadowy process has a conviction for murder.
I am renewing my call on the NIO and PSNI to confirm how many convicted Sinn Fein politicians and their henchmen have been armed by this special and disreputable process.
