EVIL WILL BE CRUSHED
EVIL WILL BE CRUSHED
By KARL BROPHY
Taoiseach tells of toughest ever laws in crackdown against terrorists
BERTIE Ahern yesterday vowed to rush the evil bombers who ripped the heart out of Omagh.
The furious Taoiseach convened a crisis meeting of his Cabinet to bring forward new laws to catch the Real IRA terrormongers.
And he pledged there would be no escape for the "faceless cowards" who carried out last Saturday's atrocity.
The Cabinet met in a marathon emergency session to discuss new laws which will put the entire membership of the Real IRA behind bars.
The proposals agreed by the 15 politicians will be drafted into an urgent bill for immediate publication.
They form the toughest security package to be brought forward in the history of the state.
TDs and senators will be recalled to sit in two weeks' time to approve the laws.
With little opposition expected, the proposals should come into law immediately.
That will mean gardai who already have Real IRA members under surveillance, will be able to lift terrorist suspects in the first week of September.
Crack gardai from the Emergency Response Unit are expected to haul dozens of Real IRA members into custody on the day that Bill Clinton arrives in Ireland to throw his weight behind the peace effort.
Garda and RUC chiefs have told the politicians they are confident they know who the dissident republican terrorists bent on carnage are.
Within 14 days they can put them behind bars.
As more families laid victims of last Saturday's bomb attack to rest, a grim-faced Bertie Ahern was plotting the downfall of the self-styled Oglaigh na hEireann.
The Fianna Fail Progressive Democrats coalition stopped short of approving the re-introduction of internment, but only just.
The new laws will give Ireland the toughest anti-terrorist legislation in the world.
Yesterday afternoon outside Government Buildings, the Taoiseach rapped out a message of war to those trying to destroy peace.
Flanked by Tanaiste Mary Harney and Justice Minister
Under current legislation gardai have found it difficult to prosecute people on the basis of membership of terror groups.
Ireland's Offences Against the State Act will also be strengthened.
The right to silence of persons charged under the act will be "restricted".
These restrictions will allow a court to draw "inferences" when accused people do not mention facts to gardai during questioning.
Bertie Ahern and the rest of the government hope this will prevent republican terrorists using a traditional tactic of not mentioning crucial facts until they reach trial.
John O'Donoghue, he called on all terrorist organisations to declare their war was over.
And he unveiled the new laws which will be used as weapons in the state's war against the evil bombers.
Unlike internment, all measures to be taken against suspects must be rubber-stamped by courts.
But terror suspects will now have practically no legal loopholes.
Chief Superintendents will be able to identify members of illegal organisations and have them prosecuted for it.
The burden of proof will lie on the accused to prove they are not a member of a terrorist organisation.
In many recent cases this has allowed suspected terrorists to walk free because prosecuting lawyers have been unprepared.
The government will also create a number of new offences.
The charge of "directing an unlawful organisation" will exist for the first time.
This will mirror the British justice system which has listed it as an offence since 1993. ONE terrorist who was finally jailed under it was the notorious UFF commander Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair.
He was jailed in 1995 for 16 years after pleading guilty to the charge of directing terrorism but is set for early release under the Good Friday peace deal.
Garda sources said last night that the person who ordered the bombing of Omagh last Saturday will almost certainly face the charge.
It will also now become an offence under the Offences Against the State Act to be caught in possession of "items for purposes connected with specified firearms or explosives offences".
This will mean being found with a bomb detonator will be tantamount to being found with a bomb.
Withholding information in connection with a terrorist will become a major crime, as will the new offence of "collecting information" which will cover surveillance of positions and the taking of Garda vehicle number-plates.
Real IRA training camps will also be targeted by the new laws and those who train terrorist will face tough new penalties.
By KARL BROPHY
Taoiseach tells of toughest ever laws in crackdown against terrorists
BERTIE Ahern yesterday vowed to rush the evil bombers who ripped the heart out of Omagh.
The furious Taoiseach convened a crisis meeting of his Cabinet to bring forward new laws to catch the Real IRA terrormongers.
And he pledged there would be no escape for the "faceless cowards" who carried out last Saturday's atrocity.
The Cabinet met in a marathon emergency session to discuss new laws which will put the entire membership of the Real IRA behind bars.
The proposals agreed by the 15 politicians will be drafted into an urgent bill for immediate publication.
They form the toughest security package to be brought forward in the history of the state.
TDs and senators will be recalled to sit in two weeks' time to approve the laws.
With little opposition expected, the proposals should come into law immediately.
That will mean gardai who already have Real IRA members under surveillance, will be able to lift terrorist suspects in the first week of September.
Crack gardai from the Emergency Response Unit are expected to haul dozens of Real IRA members into custody on the day that Bill Clinton arrives in Ireland to throw his weight behind the peace effort.
Garda and RUC chiefs have told the politicians they are confident they know who the dissident republican terrorists bent on carnage are.
Within 14 days they can put them behind bars.
As more families laid victims of last Saturday's bomb attack to rest, a grim-faced Bertie Ahern was plotting the downfall of the self-styled Oglaigh na hEireann.
The Fianna Fail Progressive Democrats coalition stopped short of approving the re-introduction of internment, but only just.
The new laws will give Ireland the toughest anti-terrorist legislation in the world.
Yesterday afternoon outside Government Buildings, the Taoiseach rapped out a message of war to those trying to destroy peace.
Flanked by Tanaiste Mary Harney and Justice Minister
Under current legislation gardai have found it difficult to prosecute people on the basis of membership of terror groups.
Ireland's Offences Against the State Act will also be strengthened.
The right to silence of persons charged under the act will be "restricted".
These restrictions will allow a court to draw "inferences" when accused people do not mention facts to gardai during questioning.
Bertie Ahern and the rest of the government hope this will prevent republican terrorists using a traditional tactic of not mentioning crucial facts until they reach trial.
John O'Donoghue, he called on all terrorist organisations to declare their war was over.
And he unveiled the new laws which will be used as weapons in the state's war against the evil bombers.
Unlike internment, all measures to be taken against suspects must be rubber-stamped by courts.
But terror suspects will now have practically no legal loopholes.
Chief Superintendents will be able to identify members of illegal organisations and have them prosecuted for it.
The burden of proof will lie on the accused to prove they are not a member of a terrorist organisation.
In many recent cases this has allowed suspected terrorists to walk free because prosecuting lawyers have been unprepared.
The government will also create a number of new offences.
The charge of "directing an unlawful organisation" will exist for the first time.
This will mirror the British justice system which has listed it as an offence since 1993. ONE terrorist who was finally jailed under it was the notorious UFF commander Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair.
He was jailed in 1995 for 16 years after pleading guilty to the charge of directing terrorism but is set for early release under the Good Friday peace deal.
Garda sources said last night that the person who ordered the bombing of Omagh last Saturday will almost certainly face the charge.
It will also now become an offence under the Offences Against the State Act to be caught in possession of "items for purposes connected with specified firearms or explosives offences".
This will mean being found with a bomb detonator will be tantamount to being found with a bomb.
Withholding information in connection with a terrorist will become a major crime, as will the new offence of "collecting information" which will cover surveillance of positions and the taking of Garda vehicle number-plates.
Real IRA training camps will also be targeted by the new laws and those who train terrorist will face tough new penalties.
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/071
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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