Sinn Fein slammed by MEPs over killing

national | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Thursday May 12, 2005 04:34 by jans

Sinn Fein's European adventure came crashing to a halt in Brussels yesterday as MEPs voted overwhelmingly to condemn the party leadership's behaviour following the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney.

The party's two MEPs, Bairbre de Brun and Mary Lou McDonald, were the only Irish representatives not to vote for a strongly worded statement which described the IRA offer to shoot McCartney's killers as "outrageous".

Some 555 MEPs backed the declaration slamming the Sinn Fein leadership for its failure to urge the suspected killers of Mr McCartney to co-operate with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Just 28 politicians - out of 732 MEPs - voted in favour of an attempt to strip out the direct attack on Sinn Fein.

DUP MEP Jim Allister said Sinn Fein had tried to water down the McCartney resolution but had "failed miserably".

"This debate and outcome happily exposes Sinn Fein as being without friends in Europe," he said.

"Their attachment to criminality and equivocation over murder has brought them to where they should be - utterly rejected and despised.

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said the Parliament's resolution was condemnation of Sinn Fein and the IRA as much as it was condemnation of Robert McCartney's murder.

MEPs also called on the EU to give money towards the McCartney family's legal fighting fund if police fail to bring a prosecution.

Robert's five sisters and partner want to raise at least £250,000 to take a civil action against the men they believe are responsible for his murder.

Mr Allister named three men he claimed were involved in the killing during the parliamentary debate on Monday.

He said Bob Fitzsimmons, Joe Fitzpatrick and Terry Davison should come forward and "tell what they know of the horrific events".