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Sorella di una vittima IRA chiede alla killer di lasciare Stormont

Sister calls for killer to quit Stormont job

The sister of a woman who was murdered by the IRA says she is “disgusted” to learn that her killer has been appointed to a top job at Stormont and called for her to quit.

Mary TraversMary McArdle has been named as the new special adviser to the Sinn Féin Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín.

Ms McArdle was part of an IRA gang who killed 22-year-old Mary Travers as she left a church in south Belfast with her family in April 1984.

Ann Travers, the victim’s sister, says the news of Ms McArdle’s appointment brought her “crashing back” to the day of the shooting.

“I just feel physically sick, disgusted,” Ms Travers told UTV. “I think about Mary every day. Then I hear one of the people involved in her murder is given a well-paid job at Stormont and it all comes crashing back.”

“She was such a good friend and she had so much to give this world, but she was taken way too soon. My mother is still grieving, she has never got over the murder. It’s thoughtless of Sinn Féin. It’s heartless.”

On the day of the attack almost 30 years ago, two IRA gunmen lay in wait near tennis courts for the Travers family to walk home from Mass.

Mary was shot in the back during the ambush, while her Magistrate father was hit six times but survived. His wife Joan only escaped death because the gunman misfired.

Ms McArdle, who was 19 at the time, was arrested shortly after the murder walking a dog along the Malone Road.

Two weapons she had collected from the gunmen were hidden in surgical stockings under her skirt. She was convicted of murder and jailed for life, but was released under the Good Friday Agreement.

“Mary McArdle and those two gunmen were going out knowing they were going to take a life,” Ann Travers said.

“My sister didn’t even have a handbag to defend herself with, my dad didn’t have anything to defend himself with. She was shot in the back and Mary McArdle knew that day what she was going to do.”

Mr Travers died in December 2009.

Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly has defended the appointment, saying: “Almost half our Assembly team are former political prisoners.

“Many more ex-prisoners have played critical and positive roles in bringing the political process to where it is now and will continue to do so.”

However there has been widespread criticism from other political parties. Alban Maginness of the SDLP has called the appointment “grossly inappropriate and insensitive.”

He said: “I do not believe that this person has ever expressed any contrition to this very savage incident. There is no need to appoint someone like this to a high profile position.”

Mr Kelly responded that the SDLP are “well aware of the contribution played for former political prisoners in the wider peace process and in communities”.

On Twitter, First Minister Peter Robinson branded the appointment “a mistake”.

The DUP leader tweeted: “SF adviser choice insensitive & a mistake. Should recognise hurt felt by family of her victim. Not a time to make petty political points.”

DUP MP Gregory Campbell added: “The position for some 12 years has been that special advisers are appointed at the discretion of their Ministers.

“The greatest travesty in this matter is that many of these people (including the person appointed by the Sinn Féin DCAL Minister), though convicted for acts of terrorism, were released from prison under the Belfast Agreement without serving out their full sentence.”

North Antrim UUP MLA Robin Swann described the appointment as “a calculated insult to victims.”

He added: “Based on the reaction to this appointment, I am not the only person who believes that Mary McArdle’s past, coupled with a total lack of remorse renders her completely unfit for this post.”

Meanwhile TUV leader Jim Allister said: “The news will be yet another insult to the Travers family and it is a stain on the character of our Province that such an appointment should be made.”

“Many people will see it as a reward for murder”.

Appealing directly to Ms McCardle, Ms Travers said she should “look into her conscience” and reconsider taking up the post.

“Do the right thing and stand down,” she urged. “Rise above it. Look into your conscience and do the right thing.”

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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