§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what con- 414W siderations led to the decision not to apprehend the so-called chief of staff of the Provisional IRA when in Belfast during July; and whether any assurance of immunity for such persons from arrest has been given by him or on his behalf at any time.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesAt 11.00 hours on Monday 28th July 1975, a foot patrol was in the busy shopping area near the Whiterock crossroads with the Springfield Road. They saw a man who looked not unlike Seamus Twomey enter a shop. The patrol reported what had happened and was asked to get a positive identification. This it was unable to do because there were only four men at the spot and a crowd started to gather in the area. Two other foot patrols in the general area arrived to give support to the first patrol. An army vehicle was sent from Springfield Road RUC Station with RUC men in it to assist, but by the time they arrived the man had been seen to get into a taxi and drive away. Road blocks were set up but the taxi did not pass through them. The man was not positively identified and no one was arrested. There was no question of any decision not to apprehend.
I am not aware of the sources from which the hon. Member received these inaccurate allegations, or of the sources from which he received his information that Mr. Twomey is the so-called chief of staff of the PIRA, or whether he has any evidence that would lead to a criminal prosecution in Northern Ireland, but I hope that he will make all information in his possession available forthwith to the RUC. My information comes from the security forces.
I said in the House of Commons on 14th January that those against whom there is evidence of involvement in criminal acts will continue to be arrested and brought before the courts, and I have repeatedly made this clear. There is no immunity for those who are wanted for criminal offences.
I should also make clear that the police, assisted by the other security forces, are responsible for the enforcement of the law, and it is the responsibility of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is completely independent of the Government, to decide whether proceedings are taken in the courts.
415WThe security forces are being increasingly successful in bringing criminals to justice for serious offences. Since 1st January of this year, 682 people have been charged with offences of a terrorist nature, including a substantial number who are believed to be members of the IRSP or of the UVF, or of small groups associated with these organisations, to which can be attributed much of the violence in recent months.