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09/10/2009
Fury Over IRA Funeral 'Display'
Masked gunmen involved in a 'show of strength' at republican John Brady's funeral should be hauled before the courts, a victims' campaigner has said.
Four men dressed in military garb and balaclavas surrounded Mr Brady's coffin yesterday.
Shots were fired into the air by three of the men. Mourners then applauded the volley of rounds.
Mr Brady died while in police custody in Derry last Saturday. The convicted terrorist is believed to have taken his own life. He was arrested by officers on Friday night over an alleged assault. Mr Brady was on weekend release from prison at the time. He was found dead in his cell on Saturday afternoon. Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson has promised a fair investigation into the death.
Mr Brady was serving a jail term for the murder of a police officer in 1989. Two years later Mr Brady admitted his part in the booby trap bomb which killed RUC Reserve Constable David Black.
Willie Frazer from Families Acting for Innocent Relatives has demanded to know why no police action was taken over the republican display at yesterday's funeral.
He told the BBC: "The fact that three armed terrorists can be allowed to engage in their criminality in such a public manner must be challenged.
"While every family has the right to bury their dead and grieve this cannot be turned into a sick spectacle.
"This is clearly a glorification of and indeed an actual act of terrorism.
"Therefore we expect that all those especially the individuals who were masked and others in a uniform acting as a guard of honour, be identified, arrested questioned charged and prosecuted for their participation," said Mr Frazer.
Traditional Unionist Jim Allister was appalled by the display, said it was "incumbent on the PSNI" to investigate the incident.
A police spokesman said they were aware of the incident and inquiries were ongoing.
Mr Brady's coffin was draped in a tricolour and decorated with a black beret and gloves.
Hundreds gathered at his sister's home for the funeral, while a police helicopter circled overhead.
(PR/GK)
Four men dressed in military garb and balaclavas surrounded Mr Brady's coffin yesterday.
Shots were fired into the air by three of the men. Mourners then applauded the volley of rounds.
Mr Brady died while in police custody in Derry last Saturday. The convicted terrorist is believed to have taken his own life. He was arrested by officers on Friday night over an alleged assault. Mr Brady was on weekend release from prison at the time. He was found dead in his cell on Saturday afternoon. Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson has promised a fair investigation into the death.
Mr Brady was serving a jail term for the murder of a police officer in 1989. Two years later Mr Brady admitted his part in the booby trap bomb which killed RUC Reserve Constable David Black.
Willie Frazer from Families Acting for Innocent Relatives has demanded to know why no police action was taken over the republican display at yesterday's funeral.
He told the BBC: "The fact that three armed terrorists can be allowed to engage in their criminality in such a public manner must be challenged.
"While every family has the right to bury their dead and grieve this cannot be turned into a sick spectacle.
"This is clearly a glorification of and indeed an actual act of terrorism.
"Therefore we expect that all those especially the individuals who were masked and others in a uniform acting as a guard of honour, be identified, arrested questioned charged and prosecuted for their participation," said Mr Frazer.
Traditional Unionist Jim Allister was appalled by the display, said it was "incumbent on the PSNI" to investigate the incident.
A police spokesman said they were aware of the incident and inquiries were ongoing.
Mr Brady's coffin was draped in a tricolour and decorated with a black beret and gloves.
Hundreds gathered at his sister's home for the funeral, while a police helicopter circled overhead.
(PR/GK)
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