The Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare
Association demands the immediate unconditional release
of Derry Republican Seamus Doherty. There is widespread
alarm within the Republican community that this miscarriage
of justice is being allowed to continue despite serious
doubts regarding the credibility of the charges against
him.
Seamus Doherty has been in custody
on remand since 13 June 2003 when he was charged in
connection with the discovery of two Booby-trap car
bombs outside Newry in September 2002. It is alleged
that forensic evidence, namely DNA, links Seamus Doherty
to components on one of the bombs. It has since been
revealed that the security forces conspired to frame
two south Down men, Martin Brogan and Mark Carroll,
in connection with this explosives find and both men
subsequently had all charges dropped.
Revelations that the RUC/PSNI and
the British Army contaminated evidence interfered
with the workings of the Independent Forensic Science
Laboratory and used an undercover agent to set the
men up have undermined any trust in these agencies.
While Brogan and Carroll have been
released, Seamus Doherty is entering his 14th month
in Maghaberry Gaol, undoubtedly a victim of the same
undercover operation that failed against the two south
Down men. Seamus Doherty is adamant that his DNA was
planted by an agent and/or agencies of the state.
Shortly before Seamus Doherty's arrest
an RUC search team entered his home using their own
key; Seamus was restrained while a number of the search
team wandered around his flat unhindered. When Seamus
managed to cry for help the intruders hurriedly vacated
his apartment shouting "Wrong flat, let's go".
Despite repeated requests from Seamus
Doherty's solicitor, the RUC/PSNI has yet to give
an explanation for their presence in his flat. The
answer may lie in a letter from a forensic science
lab in England to one in Carrickfergus which stated
that DNA found on the explosives couldn't be identified,
and more ominously a handwritten note by a detective
Allen which states "Maybe more work needs to
be done?"
It is a cause for concern that less
than 24 hours after the date on the letter a RUC/PSNI/FRU
team is rummaging around Seamus Doherty's flat where
DNA is readily available from combs, toothbrushes
or any number of items.
Given the recent high profile incidents
of police malpractice/corruption and the undisputed
evidence of politically motivated frame ups in the
cases of Noel Abernethy, Martin Brogan, Mark Carroll,
Sean Dillon, Don Mullan, Kevin Murphy and Brendan
O Connor we in the IRPWA believe that Seamus Doherty
ought to be freed immediately. It is obvious to anyone
willing to see that the British State is still involved
in framing critics of its rule in Ireland and it will
use any means it deems necessary.
Not only do we demand the release
of Seamus Doherty but we also call for all cases where
DNA evidence has been used to hold or convict republicans
to be thrown out of court, it is obvious nothing from
these sources can be trusted. Finally we demand a
full independent non-British inquiry into the machinations
of the British Security establishment in the afore
mentioned cases in order that
justice might finally be done.
