§ 13. Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of a terrorist nature there have been in Northern Ireland during the last months; and how many persons have been killed as a result.
§ The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. Michael Alison)Since the beginning of June there have been 134 incidents of a terrorist nature in Northern Ireland resulting in the deaths of four civilians and seven members of the security forces.
§ Mr. RossIs the Minister aware that most of these incidents were planned and carried out from across the border? Is he also aware that there are almost 100 wanted people in Donegal alone and that the hypocrisy of the Dublin Government in relation to terrorist offences was exposed by the fact that they have sent back an aircraft hijacker to face American justice but refuse to return many murderers to face British justice?
§ Mr. AlisonI am aware that a great deal of terrorist activity is planned, effectively, from across the border, but I reject any allegation of hypocrisy on the part of the Dublin Government.
§ Mr. McCuskerMay I express good wishes to those two SAS members who were acquitted in a murder trial in Northern Ireland yesterday? Will the Minister encourage their colleagues to take the kind of action that they took last year when they managed to kill a 1549 few terrorists, bearing in mind that a number of people have been killed by terrorists in my constituency?
§ Mr. AlisonIt would be better to allow both the House and the public to ponder the effects of the conclusion of the trial of the two SAS men who were acquitted, and to study the statement made by the General Officer Commanding as a result of the trial.