§ 16. Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary whether he is now in a position to make a statement with reference to the raid in Ballymena carried out by the Ulster special constables on Friday, 17th June; whether the houses of a number of Catholics in the town were raided, the system being to place in each house at about 4 o'clock a.m. two or three special constables who, in most cases, separated the men and women into different rooms and kept them there until an officer arrived to carry out a search, which meant 2309 that in many cases people were kept in this position from 4 o'clock until 9 or 10 o'clock; whether in most cases the special constables adopted a very aggressive and provocative attitude; whether in the case of one leading merchant the officer in charge took the keys from the assistant manager at his residence and, accompanied by two special constables, entered the business premises, which contained valuable goods and securities, and remained there for an half hour without informing the owner that any raid was intended, and unaccompanied by any representative of the owner; whether in the case of a hotel in the town special constables who were not under the control of an officer burst in the door, went through the hotel holding up everyone at the point of the revolver, and entered the room of an old lady about 80 years of age, a confirmed invalid, and ordered her to get out of bed; whether he can state who was responsible for this raid and for what purpose it was carried out; why was the raid directed against Catholics alone, as was evident from the questions asked some of the residents; whether the instructions issued by the Government are that the district inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary, as executive officer for the district, should be consulted prior to such raids; whether the district inspector in Ballymena was consulted about this raid; whether there has been a clear breach of discipline; and whether he will cause a full and searching inquiry to be made into the matter with a view to ascertaining who were the parties responsible for this attack on the liberties and rights of the Catholic population of Ballymena?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODA search was carried out in Ballymena on 17th June, following the receipt of important information of local rebel activities contained in captured documents. The number of houses visited was 21. The picketing of these houses prior to the arrival of the actual search party under an officer was a necessary precaution, and there have been no complaints of an aggressive or provocative attitude on the part of the men employed on this duty, all of whom were Class A special constables.
As regards the visit to the business premises of a leading merchant, I am informed that a few of this gentleman's 2310 employés were among those to be searched. On learning that they worked at a store, the officer conducting the search considered it advisable to search their place of business, and obtain the keys for the purpose. He visited the premises at 8 a.m. accompanied by one non-commissioned officer, but finding that no one was yet in attendance, he left immediately without conducting a search.
In the case of the hotel, the door was broken in, because of the delay in complying with a demand for admission. For their own protection the constables held up the inmates with their revolvers There were five males on the premises, and these were placed in one room. This was the only case in which men and women were separated. The invalid lady referred to was not ordered to get out of bed; her daughter was left in the same room with her while the house was searched.
The general outlines of this operation had the approval of the responsible police officials, and the inquiry which has been made discloses no breach of discipline. I understand that the occupants of the houses searched, without exception, signed a certificate that nothing had been taken, and that in the majority of cases they expressed their thanks for the courteous manner in which the search was carried out.
§ Mr. DEVLINWill the right hon. Gentleman state what justification there was for this raiding of the houses of a number of respectable citizens of Ballymena?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have said it was the receipt of important information of local rebel activities.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is quite a customary thing for anonymous letters to be written to the authorities in order to have these outrages committed on the persons and homes of innocent people?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI get hundreds of anonymous letters weekly myself, but this was not based on an anonymous letter.
§ Mr. DEVLINOn what was it based?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI do not think it is in the public interest to say.
§ Mr. DEVLINI must demand the information, because this was one of the most disgraceful outrages committed. These people were supporters of mine, and that is why the right hon. Gentleman's servants attacked them, including an old woman of 80 years, in the middle of the night.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a speech, not a question.
§ Mr. DEVLINWhat redress are these people to have? They were not guilty of any offence. An old lady of 80 was dragged out of her bed.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member received an answer to his question.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs there any redress to be given to these people? They live in the midst of a hostile Unionist majority, and they are marked now among the members of the community. There is no redress for them. No documents were found on them.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member will please put on the Paper the question about redress.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs there no limit to the outrages on these people? That is what I want to know.