An organisation campaigning about alleged security force-linked killings in Northern Ireland emerged from its first meeting with a Northern Ireland Secretary today, expressing hopes that it marked the start of an "education" process.
‘Relatives for Justice’ said it had "cordial" discussions with Dr John Reid even though the group failed to secure the acknowledgment it was seeking from the British government about its role in Northern Ireland.
One of the delegation, Monsignor Raymond Murray, said: "There was an admission that they were protagonists in the problem but then it went on to excuse the harsh measures that had been taken in counter-terrorism."
He added: "After 30 years and all the work of human rights organisations, everybody knows that there was culpability on the part of the state, everything ranging from ill-treatment and torture right through to the unjust killings and in cases murder.
"It was very difficult for him (Dr Reid) surrounded by his retinue of civil servants to formally admit that there and then. But we hoped that there would be an education process and that here we were, opening a dialogue."
The delegation also included a members of the ‘United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets’ which handed in a petition calling for the banning of the baton rounds.The group said it had collected 20,000 signatures in a 10-day period last month.
PA