LABOUR LEADER BACKS DEFENCE OF THE STATE
Labour leader backs defence of the State
THE Omagh bombing was an act of fascism, perpetrated by a small band of people who were determined to murder and maim, Labour leader, Ruairi Quinn said yesterday. The bombing, he said, had shaken the Irish people to the very core.
Mr Quinn said there was a moral and political duty on every democratic state to defend itself and its citizens against those who wished to destroy that democracy by violence.
Welcoming the Government's tough new security measures, Mr Quinn said his party did not believe that such measures represented an attack on civil liberties. "The people in this State intent on attacking civil liberties are those who planned, assisted and detonated the bomb in Omagh on August 15. These are the people who wish to abolish people's rights to feed their own frenzied fantasies," he added.
Mr Quinn said that the new legislation would help the gardai in their pursuit of the gang of terrorists responsible for the mass murder in Omagh. The so called "real IRA" represented a grave threat to democracy on this island.
He said the Omagh bombers were intent on forcing people back into the pessimism and tragedy of the past.
"It is our duty as political leaders not to allow this to happen. The men of violence cannot be allowed to dictate the political agenda," he added.
Mr Quinn welcomed Gerry Adam's statement.
"Violence can never be resorted to in the future by political parties to advance their own cause. I believe the words of Gerry Adams point to that conclusion, but I know that many people will want to have that confirmed by Sinn Fein," he said.
THE Omagh bombing was an act of fascism, perpetrated by a small band of people who were determined to murder and maim, Labour leader, Ruairi Quinn said yesterday. The bombing, he said, had shaken the Irish people to the very core.
Mr Quinn said there was a moral and political duty on every democratic state to defend itself and its citizens against those who wished to destroy that democracy by violence.
Welcoming the Government's tough new security measures, Mr Quinn said his party did not believe that such measures represented an attack on civil liberties. "The people in this State intent on attacking civil liberties are those who planned, assisted and detonated the bomb in Omagh on August 15. These are the people who wish to abolish people's rights to feed their own frenzied fantasies," he added.
Mr Quinn said that the new legislation would help the gardai in their pursuit of the gang of terrorists responsible for the mass murder in Omagh. The so called "real IRA" represented a grave threat to democracy on this island.
He said the Omagh bombers were intent on forcing people back into the pessimism and tragedy of the past.
"It is our duty as political leaders not to allow this to happen. The men of violence cannot be allowed to dictate the political agenda," he added.
Mr Quinn welcomed Gerry Adam's statement.
"Violence can never be resorted to in the future by political parties to advance their own cause. I believe the words of Gerry Adams point to that conclusion, but I know that many people will want to have that confirmed by Sinn Fein," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/135
Published Date: 03-Sep-98
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