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Security forces colluded with UVF before World Cup '94 massacre, damning report finds

The Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland has said there was a “hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil approach to the use of informants”.

Loughinisland pub shootings The Heights Bar in Loughinisland, Co Down PA Wire PA Wire

Updated at 4.40pm

A DAMNING REPORT has found that significant collusion took place between security services and paramilitaries before a gun attack on a bar that saw six men shot dead.

On 18 June 1994, a group of Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) members burst into the The Heights Bar in Loughinisland, Co Down and opened fire on a group of people watching the Republic of Ireland play Italy in the USA ’94 World Cup.

Today, the Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire has published a report which has found that “collusion was a significant feature of the Loughinisland murders”.

To date, no one has ever been convicted in connection with the killings.

What does the report say? 

Since the attack, family members of those killed have maintained that there had been collusion between members of UVF and the Royal Ulster Constabulary – a view that has been today vindicated.

The 160-page report looks at information passed to police during the 1980s and 1990s from loyalist paramilitary sources, and highlights the police’s approach to informants as an area of particular concern.

“We have seen occasions when informants contributed to both the saving of life and the loss of life,” said Dr Maguire.

The investigation found evidence of the following:

  • Police officers content not to ask for information about serious crime,
  • Instances where such information was offered up and police chose not to act on it, 
  • Incidents where informants were protected from investigation.

“Some police officers appeared to have placed more value on gathering information and protecting their sources than on the prevention and detection of crime,” Dr Maguire went on.

“Many police officers within the RUC and the PSNI worked tirelessly to bring those responsible for the Loughinisland shootings to justice”, the report says, but also notes the fact that this doesn’t make up for “a number of fundamental failings in the investigation”.

Findings 

It is shown that one of the initial suspects for the crime was an RUC informant, and that the investigation into the getaway car and the people connected to it had been insufficient.

The last registered keeper of the car was a prominent member of the UDA, and the poor follow up is attributed to the “the relationship between this person and two police officers in particular”.

On the point of senior RUC officers failing to push UVF sources about the murder, Dr Maguire said:

I have found no evidence that sources were tasked with gathering specific information that could have assisted the murder investigation.
This was a ‘hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil’ approach to the use of informants, which potentially frustrated the police investigation.

Those killed in the attack were: Adrian Rogan, 34, Malcolm Jenkinson, 53, Daniel McCreanor, 59, Patrick O’Hare, 35, Eamon Byrne, 39, and Barney Green, 87.

A report in 2011 by former police ombudsman Al Hutchinson found that there had been a number of failings in the investigation, but insufficient evidence for collusion.

This was later overturned and the new investigation by Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire initiated.

In a statement today, Chief Constable of the PSNI George Hamilton said: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland fully supports the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

It is an essential part of the mechanism by which the PSNI can be held to account and as such, I accept his report and findings into the brutal attack carried out at the Heights Bar, Loughinisland, on 18 June 1994.

‘Disturbing’ 

Foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan said the findings of the report were “deeply disturbing” adding:

“The findings must now be carefully examined with a view to the question of further investigations and possible prosecutions.”

The minister said:

“My thoughts are first and foremost with the families of the six victims of the terrible attack at Loughinisland, for whom today will be a very difficult reminder of their loss and pain.

The Ombudsman’s report fundamentally vindicates the concerns the families have raised over many years and their continuing search for justice.

Read: Ireland to mark Loughinisland massacre with black armbands in Italy game

Also: ESPN’s new documentary on Ireland’s politically-charged 94 World Cup journey looks brilliant

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    Mute bacoxy
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:00 PM

    I wish them the best of luck, really funny and well observed shorts.

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:11 PM

    Skinny jeans!

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    Aug 15th 2015, 9:14 PM

    I wonder how John is gettin on with the Iraqi?

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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:03 PM

    Only complaint I have is that there are not a few more episodes!

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:23 PM

    More episodes please.

    Hilarious stuff

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    Mute Supernova
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:09 PM

    This and Sminky Shorts are very good.I dont know would the yanks get it though.

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    Mute The Girl
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:01 PM

    It’s times like that I’m proud to be Irish..

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    Mute Aaron Kavanagh
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:59 PM

    I love Martin’s Life!

    I wonder if people outside of Ireland would get the humour, though.

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    Mute Jess Foley
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:31 PM

    hilarious

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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:44 PM

    Love the four, we need to roar for more.

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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:23 PM

    ‘A couple of what?’ ‘A couple of gay people!!’ HILARIOUS….we need more!!!!

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    Mute Mac L0ve
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    Aug 15th 2015, 9:18 PM

    How could you not hear “game of throws”?

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    Mute Boxer Alice
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:28 PM

    Martin’s Life is just so funny! Whoever writes it deserves an award of some kind. I do feel only an Irish audience would get it though, but nothing wrong with that!

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    Mute Larry David the 2nd
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    Aug 15th 2015, 10:05 PM

    “Tis’nt it well for them the bisexuals ”

    I bloody love this series!

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    Mute Michael O'connor
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:37 PM

    Very funny. good luck with it lads

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:40 PM

    Brilliant, hope you do incredibly well.

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    Mute Louise Morris
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:10 PM

    Too funny, my tummy aches. The only other laugh I got like this is for David O’ Doherty (comedian) . Check him out on you tube if you need more laughs like this. I love being Irish and our accents are the best !

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    Mute Paul Morrissey
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:57 PM

    it’s a small world!!!!!!!

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    Aug 18th 2015, 8:36 PM
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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:17 AM

    Jaysus,those dwarfs are comical.I wonder do they get paid.

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    Aug 15th 2015, 11:17 PM

    This is brilliant

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    Mute Elizabeth Rohan Lenihan
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:26 AM

    Absolutely love Martin’ Life. Can’t wait for more. My 91 year old mother loves them too!!

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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:10 AM

    He’s watching a game of throws,with that small fella and mcully culkin.hahaha

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    Mute Sean O'Malley
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:04 PM

    youtube search: morning after night in coppers

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    Mute Stephen Mullan
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    Aug 15th 2015, 10:45 PM

    Thing is anyone can make those cartoons. They’re on a package you buy online for €9.99 a month. You just pick your characters, hair colour, clothes etc and put your voice to it. So to say he’s too lazy to do more of them just makes you think. How lazy is he?

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    Mute Laithbheartaigh
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    Aug 16th 2015, 12:48 PM

    ignorance is bliss to some people i guess, over the top superlatives!

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    Mute Laithbheartaigh
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    Aug 16th 2015, 12:29 PM

    This is done using GoAnimate software and is not hard to do, its the script thats the hard thing, which is very funny in this case.

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