Ok, but from where I'm sitting it seems that investigations into alleged offences by soldiers are being pursued with more vigour than those by terrorists. You say that investigations into terrorist related crimes did not stop but perhaps you can explain to us all why, since the signing of the GFA, there has seemingly been no appetite whatsoever to bring those responsible for the largest peacetime bomb ever detonated on UK soil to account, despite it happening less than 2 years before the GFA agreement was signed and even though the authorities have their suspicions as to who was responsible. And while I'm at it, I'll go back to The Disappeared - is there an active investigation ongoing into that?no, because i cant be arsed pouring over a huge legal document....and there is no such entry.
However i know that the release of prisoners did not extend to EVERYONE...it was afforded to approximately 500 convicted terrorists (loyalist and republican)...who met very specific criteria, with strict conditions.
Investigations into terrorist related crimes did not stop, they continued. If they did stop...why is Brandon Lewis only proposing/implementing amnesty for terrorists and officers today?
What i will point you in the direction of is this government document that highlights:
The 1998 Good Friday Agreement made no provision for the investigation or prosecution of former members of the Armed Forces, focusing instead upon the early release of prisoners affiliated to paramilitary organisations. There was no amnesty for crimes which had not yet been prosecuted.
Investigation of Former Armed Forces Personnel Who Served in Northern Ireland - House of Commons Library
The investigation of former British soldiers who served in Northern Ireland during “The Troubles” is receiving a significant amount of media and parliamentary attention as a result of several ongoing court cases and the Government's new proposals for dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland.commonslibrary.parliament.uk
In case you feel the need to suggest i am some sort of anti british, terrorist sympathiser, id like to mention (if you didnt know) that my dad was a serving officer in the UDR (RIR) when he died, prior to the GFA.
Thanks. Regarding the bolded bit, I think you're forgetting that the Omagh bombing happened after the signing of the GFA and as such was always going to be thoroughly investigated regardless of the death toll.Recent prosecutions
The perception that investigators are unfairly targeting cases involving military personnel has been confounded by decisions over the last few years by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland to bring prosecutions against a number of former Army personnel. To date, six former military personnel have been charged with offences relating to the Troubles, including the events of Bloody Sunday. The most recent prosecution case was announced in April 2019.
However, the PPS for Northern Ireland has also sought to make clear that of the 26 prosecution cases brought since 2011 in relation to legacy issues, 21 of those cases have involved republican and loyalist paramilitaries. Several of those cases are ongoing.
Not wishing to diminish the impact of the IRAs Manchester bomb, but "our bomb was bigger than your bomb" isnt something that will put you to the top of the HUGE list of investigations...and dare i say, importantly, investigations where people were killed. Also, the Historical Investigations Unit were (initially) tasked with investigating chronologically. I mean, how long did it take for a proper investigation in to the Omagh Bomb, which killed 29 people? Or was the Manchester bomb more important?
The disappeared....
Its a little bit crass to suggest the Omagh bomb was investigated purely because it was after the GFA...id like to think that 29 dead people is a decent enough reason to investigate. Trust me, being called into work at the Royal Hospital on the day means ill not be forgetting it.
Perhaps you missed it in my previous post but the six were never brought to book for the Manchester bomb - they were convicted of other terrorist offences so no, they haven't served a single day for that offence.
Apologies, i misread your post....maybe they didnt do it? So that crime is likely amongst the long list of other crimes still being investigated...but im sure our wonderful powers-that-be have appropriately organised them against priority.
Maybe they didn’t do it but often with terrorist attacks related to The Troubles they have a damn good idea who did do it. Sure, they get it wrong at times - Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six being examples - but they do tend to have a lot of intelligence on suspected terrorists.
They absolutely do....but it has become evident over the years (but hopefully not in this case) that there was a lot of collusion between all sides....some suspects were more "important" than others and access to intelligence deemed more useful than convictions.....