Claudy Probed As Empey Meets Victims

Just hours before the Historical Enquiries Team revealed it is to probe the unsolved murder of nine people in the 1972 Claudy bombing, a delegation from the Ulster Unionist Party has met with Northern Ireland's Commission for Victims and Survivors as part of an ongoing set of meetings on issues pertaining to the past.

After the meeting in Parliament Buildings, Sir Reg Empey, Leader of the Ulster Unionist party said (pictured): "The meeting has helped the party to further develop its thinking on issues pertaining to the past.

"Addressing the past in a constructive manner is an extremely complex task; this was illustrated this week by the Police Ombudsman's report into the Claudy bombing and the various reactions to the report," he said.

"Anyone who is involved in this debate is acutely aware of the fact that there are many differences of opinion and sensitivities. The Ulster Unionist Party is grateful to the Commission for the meeting and will continue a process of developing its own assessment of how best to deal with the past."

The delegation was made up of Sir Reg Empey and MLAs Danny Kennedy, Tom Elliott and David McNarry as well as the former Victim's Commissioner, Mike Nesbitt.

Commissioners Bertha McDougall and Brendan McCallister represented the Commission.

The meeting was just before it emerged that the Historical Enquiries Team is in the process of contacting families of the 1972 Claudy bombing after a Police Ombudsman report found police, church and state colluded to protect Father James Chesney.

The Catholic priest was never questioned by police despite being suspected of masterminding the atrocity.

In a statement, the HET said it was contacting families "to offer to meet them and ask if they wish to become involved in a review of the case."

"The HET has not completed a review and appreciates that the families had been awaiting the findings of the Police Ombudsman's inquiry, which they received on Tuesday."

The Ombudsman's report found that the Claudy victims were "failed" by a "collusive act" between the RUC, the Government and the Church, "compromising" the investigation into the attack which killed nine people and injured dozens.

Survivors and relatives of the Claudy victims have called for a fresh investigation into what happened.

(BMcC/GK)