IPSC slam arrest of peace activist John Morgan

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Thursday July 17, 2003 04:30 by Holy Shite Mutter (my expletive name) - New Profile

The Ireland Palestinian Solidarity Campaign has today rubbished reports that the peace activist, John Morgan, who was arrested by the Israeli security force, Shin Bet on Saturday is a Real IRA bomb maker.

Background.
John Morgan has never lived in South Armagh or Newry.
He is not connected to Irish politics. He is an
educationalist who works for the British Government funded Council for Irish Medium Education ( which is funded through the Department of Education in the North of Ireland. He is well known also as an Irish language broadcaster and correspondent for the Irish newspaper 'Lá' and the radio station, Radio na Gaeltachta. He is frequently in the local press in Belfast. His main reason for visiting Palestine wasto develop a project organised by the IPSC twinning local schools there with local schools in Ireland.
Four such schools have already been twinned with Palestinian schools, three Secondary and one Primary school. He was invovled in meeting teachers and head teachers in Palestine to develop a programme of work for this project. He was also in Palestine to organise the children's holiday cultural exchange scheme. Last year the IPSC brought a number of children to Ireland from Palestine for a holiday and this work was an extension of this. While in Palestine he also did work for 'La'. His family have up until midnight today (MON) been told nothing about where he is being held or why. In fact neither the Israelis nor the British Consulate can confirm to the family that he actually was arrested in the first place. All information the family has received is via the Press.

For immediate release: 14/07/03

IPSC SLAM REPORTS OF PEACE ACTIVIST BEING INVOLVED IN BOMB MAKING PLOT

The Ireland Palestinian Solidarity Campaign has today rubbished reports that the peace activist, John Morgan, who was arrested by the Israeli security force, Shin Bet on Saturday is a Real IRA bomb maker. Mr Morgan, who is well known in Belfast under his Irish name Sean O'Muireagain, traveled to Palestine three weeks ago to establish links with Palestinian schools.

Speaking today spokesperson for the IPSC Cathleen
O'Connell said:

"Contrary to what has been appearing in the media, John Morgan who is known to friends and family as Sean O'Muireagain is not a Real IRA bomb maker. In fact the information released by the Israeli Authorities is grossly inaccurate.

"Mr Morgan has indeed traveled out to Palestine with a British passport under the name of John Morgan.
However, he is a well-known Irish language and
cultural activist originally from, and still based in, Belfast. His high profile in Belfast discredits the information released to the media by the Israeli Authorities that he is from South Armagh and had apparently gone to ground well before his visit to Palestine.

"Mr Morgan is visiting Palestine as a peace activist. Amongst his roles is to establish links with local schools in order to further a school-twinning programme initiated by the IPSC in Belfast this year.
He has also been staying with the family of a group of Palestinian teenagers who were guests at last years West Belfast Festival.

"I am calling on the Israeli Authorities to release John immediately. This is a blatant attempt to discredit and malign any sort of solidarity work with Palestine that is essentially about making a positive change and aiding in the conflict resolution process."
ENDS

Note to editor: For further information contact David Kennedy on 07813010049