PSNI defends role at terror display
THE PSNI says there were “clear operational reasons” why officers did not attempt to arrest gunmen at a republican paramilitary funeral in Strabane this week.
Four men wearing balaclavas fired shots over the coffin of 40-year-old dissident republican John Brady during a full-scale paramilitary funeral outside his sister’s home on Thursday.
Brady took his own life in a police cell last Saturday after being arrested over an alleged domestic dispute while on weekend parole from prison.
Dissident republicans claimed he took his life because he could not face the prospect of returning to jail.
There were no police in evidence in the vicinity of the paramilitary display but a police helicopter hovered overhead.
Ulster Unionist MLA David McClarty condemned the PSNI’s actions.
“This was the wrong decision and sends out the wrong signals,” he said.
“I condemned the paramilitary display at the funeral and it follows that I also condemn the decision not to make arrests.
“This matter should be fully investigated.”
TUV leader Jim Allister said that it was gunmen “and not the police” which controlled events at the funeral.
“This was a shameful abdication of responsibility,” he said.
“Gunmen should be arrested, not tolerated.”
After the funeral, Willie Frazer of FAIR said the event was “a symbol of the absolute failure of security in Northern Ireland”.
But East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell did not challenge the PSNI’s decision to make no arrests.
“That decision cannot be changed now, but there is a large amount of footage which must now be reviewed to build cases against the three masked terrorists who fired weapons and those who assisted them through removing evidence such as bullet casings,” he said.
The PSNI issued a statement in response to the criticism. “We are aware of the incident and enquiries are ongoing,” it said.
“There were clear operational reasons why police did not disrupt this funeral.
“This is an ongoing investigation and we will not be commenting further.”
A Sinn Fein spokesman said the decision not to make arrests was a matter for the PSNI and the Brady family.
A spokesman for the SDLP said the party were not making any comment on the matter.
