Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Police probing the IRA 1972 killing of Jean McConville, the Belfast mother of Helen McKendry (pictured) and 9 other children, want to seize taped interviews with IRA members that Boston College hoped to keep locked up for posterity.res Peter Morrison/AP/Press Association Images

Challenge to release of Boston College tapes dismissed

A legal challenge to the release of a series of interviews with former IRA members, conducted by researchers at Boston College, has been dismissed by a US federal judge.

A LEGAL CHALLENGE to the US government’s attempt to release of a series of interviews with former IRA members, conducted by researchers at Boston College, has been dismissed by a federal judge.

An appeals court will now decide on whether the interviews will be released, the Boston Globe reports.

The interviews formed part of Boston College’s Belfast Project, which took place from 2001 to 2006. The oral history project involved academics, journalists and historians conducting interviews with former republicans and loyalists about their activities during The Troubles.

Those behind the project have refused to release any of the transcripts in their possession, saying that interviewees had been promised confidentiality before agreeing to take part. They fear that releasing the material could place the lives of the interviewees in danger and undermine the peace process in Northern Ireland.

The transcripts, if released, would be handed over to the PSNI to be used as part of their investigation into the 1972 murder of Belfast mother-of-ten Jean McConville – the first of the IRA’s so-called ‘Disappeared’ victims. McConville’s remains lay undiscovered for over 30 years, until walkers on Shelling Hill beach in Dundalk came across them by chance in 2003.

Former IRA member Antony McIntyre and journalist Ed Moloney have argued that they will be treated as informants if the tapes are released to the PSNI and ultimately used as part of a prosecution.

Read: Minister slams Micheál Martin for ‘inaccurate and misleading’ comments about NI archive>

Read: US court to rule on release of taped IRA interviews>

Read: Northern Irish authorities look to US files in murder investigation>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
4 Comments
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds