Allister challenges Barroso to challenge McGuinness
09 January 2008
With McGuinness and Ian Paisley due to meet EU Commission President Jose Barrosso tomorrow in Brussels, Traditional Unionist MEP has revealed that earlier this week he wrote to President Barrosso, in anticipation of the meeting, for the purpose of encouraging him to press McGuinness on matters such as the Quinn and McCartney murders, the continuing existence of the Army Council and his denunciation of recourse to a European Arrest Warrant in the McAliskey case.
Commenting Jim Allister said, “McGuinness and Ian Paisley like to stride the world stage while all the time McGuinness is an unrepentant terrorist, who far from embracing the European ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, represents a Party which still has a military wing, which still murders, and an illegal Army Council. Thus I thought it appropriate to remind President Barrosso of the pedigree of McGuinness and to invite him to raise issues such as the McCartney murder – upon which the EU was effectively engaged by the McCartney sisters – the Quinn murder and McGuinness’ opposition to the use of the European Arrest Warrant.
Some years ago when the MEP Ian Paisley would have been doing what now falls to me, but, sadly, now he accompanies McGuinness as if he were a statesman, not an unrepentant terrorist.”
The terms of Mr Allister’s letter are as follows:-
Dear Mr President,
On Thursday 10 January 2008 you are due to meet Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley in Brussels.
Before you do so I wish to draw some matters to your attention. I do this in the context that you and the Commission have made several robust statements about the evils of terrorism and its advancement. You have also commented on the necessity for governments to be resolute and untainted in their dealing with anti-democratic forces. Moreover, the EU marks annually a European Day for the Victims of Terrorism.
As you should be aware Mr McGuinness, - long associated with the IRA, which brought 2000 terrorist deaths to the UK - himself has terrorist convictions, having been apprehended in a car containing explosives and ammunition. Though he now jointly leads the administration in Northern Ireland, his Party, Sinn Fein, still maintains a military wing, which only recently murdered a young man, Paul Quinn – something which sadly he and those with vested interest in propping up the present governmental arrangements do not wish to face up to. You will also be aware of the infamous and still unsolved murder of Robert McCartney, again by IRA members, and which the deceased’s sisters bravely highlighted in their visits to the EU Institutions.
You may be surprised to learn that despite protestations of commitment to the rule of law, Sinn Fein’s IRA still clings to its illegal “Army Council”.
You might, therefore, think it appropriate to press your guests about these matters as I’d expect you to be uncomfortable that a government anywhere within the EU should have within its ranks those whose organisations are still associated with murder and terrorist structures. You are in a position to powerfully advance the interests of democracy and peace by raising these issues.
Having long promoted the European Arrest Warrant within the EU, you might also think it appropriate to express disappointment at the recent failure in Northern Ireland of such an extradition application in respect of someone wanted for a terrorist bombing in Germany. Since Mr McGuinness himself personally denounced the European Arrest Warrant application, you might express displeasure at the failure of any governmental figure to support this EU weapon against terrorism.
Thus, you could do a service to everyone in Europe who believes exclusively in peaceful and democratic means, if you were to raise these issues.
Thanking you and wishing you a Happy New Year.
Yours sincerely,
Jim Allister MEP
