Claudy bombing: Catholic Church denies cover-up over IRA bomb attack
The Catholic Church has insisted it did not cover-up the Claudy bombing atrocity by moving a suspected terrorist priest out of Northern Ireland.
Cardinal Sean Brady said the transfer of Fr James Chesney to Donegal did not stop authorities arresting or questioning him over the IRA's July 1972 triple car bomb outrage.
A report by Al Hutchinson, the Northern Ireland police ombudsman, found that police were prevented from investigating a Fr Chesney's suspected role in the bomb attack after the Government and the Church conspired to protect him.
Owen Paterson, the Northern Ireland Secretary said that the Government was "profoundly sorry" that the victims had been denied justice.
In a statement, he said: "My anger at the actions of those responsible for the attack is matched in strength by my sorrow that the survivors of the atrocity and the relatives of the dead did not see those responsible brought to justice for their crimes."
In a statement issued along with Bishop of Derry Seamus Hegarty, senior clerics said they accept thepolice ombudsman's findings and conclusions.
The churchmen said it was shocking that a priest should be suspected of involvement in the village attack which killed nine people, including a young girl, and injured 30.
''This case should have been properly investigated and resolved during Father Chesney's lifetime,'' the Catholic leaders said.
''If there was sufficient evidence to link him to criminal activity, he should have been arrested and questioned at the earliest opportunity, like anyone else.
''We agree with the police ombudsman that the fact this did not happen failed those who were murdered, injured and bereaved in the bombings.''
The clerics said all known Catholic Church material was handed over to investigators from the ombudsman's office.
They said church figures challenged Fr Chesney at the time about his alleged activities, which he denied.
And they repeated the ombudsman's findings that there was no evidence of criminal intent on the part of any Church official over the transfer of the priest to the Republic.
Cardinal Brady and Bishop Hegarty said the Church reported back to then secretary of state William Whitelaw the outcome of the questioning of Fr Chesney.
The churchmen added: ''We can never lose sight of the terrible human cost of this atrocity.
''Nine people died, including children. Many were injured. Many more were rendered homeless or had businesses destroyed or damaged. The entire community of a small rural town was traumatised by a horrific attack on innocent people.''
They urged anyone with information on the bombing to come forward.
''Fr Chesney is dead and, as a suspect in the Claudy bombing, he is beyond the justice of earthly courts,'' they said.
''Clearly a number of people were involved in the planning and carrying out of this terrible atrocity, some of whom may still be alive. Those bereaved and injured deserve to know the truth.''
Findings in Mr Hutchinson's report disclosed:
:: Detectives believed Father Chesney was the IRA's director of operations in south Derry and was a prime suspect in the Claudy attack and other terrorist incidents.
:: A detective's request to arrest the cleric was refused by an assistant chief constable of RUC Special Branch who instead said ''matters are in hand''.
:: The same senior officer wrote to the government about what action could be taken to ''render harmless a dangerous priest'' and asked if the matter could be raised with the Church's hierarchy.
:: In December 1972 Mr Whitelaw met Cardinal Conway to discuss the issue. According to a Northern Ireland Office official, ''the cardinal said he knew the priest was a very bad man and would see what could be done''. The church leader mentioned ''the possibility of transferring him to Donegal...''
:: In response to this memo, RUC chief constable Sir Graham noted: ''I would prefer a transfer to Tipperary.''
:: An entry in Cardinal Conway's diary on December 5 1972 confirmed a meeting with Mr Whitelaw took place and stated there had been ''a rather disturbing tete-a-tete at the end about C''.
:: In another diary entry two months later, the cardinal noted that he had discussed the issue with Father Chesney's superior and that ''the superior however had given him orders to stay where he was on sick leave until further notice''.
Father Chesney was transferred across the Irish border in Co Donegal in late 1973 and never ministered again in Northern Ireland. According to Church records, he denied involvement in the attacks when questioned by his superiors.
But he died seven years later having never faced police interview.
Mr Hutchinson said there was no evidence that the police had information that could have prevented the attack.
However, he said the RUC's decision to ask the government to resolve the matter with the Church, and then accept the outcome, was wrong.
''The decision failed those who were murdered, injured and bereaved in the bombing,'' he said.
''The police officers who were working on the investigation were also undermined.''
Mr Hutchinson said the decisions made must be considered in the context of the time.
''I accept that 1972 was one of the worst years of the Troubles and that the arrest of a priest might well have aggravated the security situation,'' he said.
''Equally, I consider that the police failure to investigate someone they suspected of involvement in acts of terrorism could, in itself, have had serious consequences.''
As regards the role of Church and State officials, Mr Hutchinson said his investigation found no evidence of criminal intent on the part of any government minister or official or any official of the Catholic Church.
But he added: ''The morality or 'rightness' of the decision taken by the government and the Catholic Church in agreeing to the RUC request is another matter entirely and requires further public debate.
''Placing this information in the public domain in a transparent manner enables that debate to take place.''
The ombudsman said he was confident such an episode would never happen again.
''Rigorous procedural laws, checks and balances, media scrutiny and offices such as that of the police ombudsman would ensure that similar actions could not occur without proper accountability,'' he said.
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Berilah mereka pelajaran, dan katakanlah kepada mereka perkataan yang berbekas pada jiwa mereka. -Qs. 4 an-Nisa' : 63
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