Following
the publication of the report by the police ombudsman
into the killing of Eoin Morley in 1990 by the PIRA,
it has become clear that the RUC special branch
were shielding a high level informant in that organisation.
The
person named as "A" in the report was
the quartermaster in Newry at the time and was instrumental
in the plot to kill Eoin Morley.
I
find it inconceivable that this agent would fail
to tell his handlers that this was about to happen.
The
murder happened on Easter Sunday, when most republicans
would be out enjoying themselves after the day's
commemorations, and the inference at the time was
that the persons who carried out the murder were
drunk.
The
murder of Eoin Morley has sullied the republican
cause in Newry, and it is about time the PIRA admitted
that the whole operation was wrong and contributed
nothing towards the struggle.
Now
[that] we know a British agent was behind the murder,
I call on the PIRA to issue such a statement.
The
Morley family are well known republicans who have
contributed a lot to the struggle against the British.
Even
after all that has happened, I remain a fervent
republican, I will not let the provisional movement
hijack an ideal I believe in passionately.
But
I will not hold my breath waiting on a reply from
the PIRA, because they seem to find it hard to stomach
that for years they were being manipulated by the
Brits and their agents.
