HC Deb 12 June 1980 vol 986 cc786-90
7. Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the security situation in Northern Ireland.

15. Mr. Win. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Humphrey Atkins

Since I last addressed the House on 8 May, 43 people have been charged with serious crimes, including seven with murder and one with attempted murder. One of those charged with murder is alleged to have been involved in the bombing of La Mon House on 20 February 1978 in which 12 people died. The four people to whom I referred on 8 May, who were arrested in the Antrim Road area of Belfast, have been charged with the murder of a soldier. Also during the period, 14 weapons have been recovered together with 2,012 rounds of ammunition.

One part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment and four civilians were murdered by terrorists during the period, and a number of people, both civilians and members of the security forces, were injured. William Latimer of the UDR was shot while off duty in Newtownbutler last Saturday. Anthony Shields from Crossmagien was abducted and murdered and his body left surrounded by booby-traps in a particularly callous way. Councillor John Turnly of Carnlough was cold-bloodedly shot down in front of his family. Those responsible for all these outrages deserve and will get our outright condemnation.

Damage to property has been comparatively light, though I understand that a car bomb in Market Hill, in the constituency of the hon. Member for Armagh (Mr. McCusker), exploded this afternoon and caused extensive damage to a number of houses. Two weeks ago great inconvenience was caused to the people of Belfast by a widespread campaign of bombings and hoax bombings. The security forces are to be commended on the efficient way in which they handled this difficult situation.

Rev. Ian Paisley

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the deep revulsion last weekend in Northern Ireland at the callous, cold-blooded shooting and killing of Councillor Turnly, a member of the Lame district council and, at the other end of the Province, at the killing of Mr. Latimer, a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment?

Is the Secretary of State aware that Mr. Latimer is the fiftieth Protestant who has served in connection with the security forces to have been murdered in that area? Is he further aware that the murderers escape across the border and that so far only one murder has been solved, with the conviction of one person, since people who commit these dastardly deeds have safe sanctuary in Mr. Haughey's Republic? Will he take steps to deal with the border roads which provide an easy escape for the men who carry out these dastardly deeds?

Mr. Atkins

All the murders arouse feelings of revulsion and horror in the House and the Province. The security forces are continuing, and will continue, to do everything that they can to prevent them and to bring to justice the people who commit them. I remind the hon. Gentleman of my answer. In the last four weeks 43 people have been charged with terrorist crimes, seven of them with murder. I hope that that shows those who contemplate committing murder that they have a decreasing chance of escaping justice. No matter how long ago the murders were committed the police will continue to seek out the murderers and bring them to justice. I am glad to say that they are having increasing success. I am ready at any time to consider suggestions that particular roads across the border should be closed to inhibit the movement of terrorists.

Mr. Ross

is the Secretary of State aware that his answers this afternoon serve only to confirm that there has been no real change in security for several years. It is not time to consider new measures to deal with the hard core of terrorists who operate in Northern Ireland and to consider seriously the sealing of the border in a meaningful way?

Mr. Atkins

I accept and share the anxiety of the hon. Gentleman but he must not mislead himself, or the House, by saying that there has been no change in the situation over the past three or four years. There has been a change. The situation is still deplorable. There are still too many crimes and murders but, increasingly, the expertise and efforts of the security forces are containing the activities of the terrorists.

It is the belief of the Government that the course upon which we are embarked is the right one. That course is to apprehend the terrorists and bring them before the court. As the hon. Gentleman knows, to seal the border is virtually—though not totally—impossible. I am prepared to consider anything that we can do to inhibit the movement of the terrorists while, at the same time, allowing the flow of legitimate traffic.

Mr. Stephen Ross

Does the Secretary of State agree that prison officers still seem to be subject to attack? There was another attack recently although I know that additional security measures have been taken to protect prison officers. Can the right hon. Gentleman assure us that those officers are receiving all the attention that they reserve from his Office?

Mr. Atkins

Yes, Sir. There was a campaign a few months ago to kill prison officers. This is a completely inexplicable problem. The prison officer is a dedicated servant of the State, whose sole business is to deal with people who have been convicted by the courts. It is no concern of his why people are in prison. That they are in prison is his only motive for doing his job. I think that attacks on prison officers are particularly cowardly and deplorable.

There was a lull when, apparently, prison officers were not the subject of attack. Another officer, however, was attacked the other day. I hope that the terrorists will realise that this kind of activity arouses disgust everywhere and will do nothing to weaken the determination either of the Government or the prison officers to get on with their job.

Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

Can my right hon. Friend say what is the percentage of terrorists recently convicted who have previously been sentenced for terrorism?

Mr. Atkins

The information must be available. I do not have it in my head but I shall willingly send it on to my hon. Friend.

Mr. Fitt

As there is a tendency to believe that all the murders in Northern Ireland are committed by the IRA—and one must recognise that the vast majority of them are committed by the IRA—will the Secretary of State put it on record that it is the belief of the Northern Ireland police that the people who murdered Councillor John Turnly were members of a Loyalist para-military association?

Mr. Atkins

The hon. Gentleman is quite right. Terrorist activity is not confined to the Provisional IRA. But a terrorist is a terrorist and murder is murder whoever commits it. That is the basis upon which we operate.