Marian Price Pleads Guilty In Massereene Case

Marian Price has pleaded guilty to providing a mobile phone that was used in the murder of two soldiers in 2009.

Appearing under her real name of McGlinchey, she told the court she had purchased the phone, which was then used in a dissident republican ambush on Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar. The soldiers were shot dead as they went to collect a pizza at the front of Massereene Army barracks in County Antrim.

Ms McGlinchey also faces charges of aiding and abetting a meeting to encourage support for a proscribed organisation.

She was filmed holding a piece of paper for a masked man, who was making a speech at a dissident republican rally in L'Derry in April 2011.

As a result, then Northern Ireland Secretary of State Owen Patterson revoked her license and she was sent to Maghaberry prison.

She was moved to the hospital wing of Hydebank prison in February of 2012, before being released after a campaign that claimed she had been interned.

Following today's guilty plea, DUP Spokesman on Justice and Home Affairs William McCrea criticised Sinn Féin and SDLP for calling for her release while in prison.

"This plea opens the door for some justice for the families of the Massareene victims, Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar," he said.

"This must be our primary concern in this case especially as the justice system has disappointed these victims in the past.

"This plea also leaves the SDLP and other organisations that campaigned for her release hanging out to dry. Party Leader Alasdair McDonnell MLA publicly called for her release. Alban Maginness MLA claimed her incarceration was internment. Pat Ramsey MLA criticised the process throughout.

"Time and time again the DUP have warned the SDLP that in their desperation to out-green Sinn Fein they have ended up becoming apologists for dissidents as they did in the Gerry McGeough case. Our warnings have once again been vindicated by this plea."

He continued: "The SDLP recently expressed regrets over its support for naming a Newry playpark after an IRA murderer. Now the SDLP and others owe an apology to those they criticised and attacked who acted rightly in the interests of public safety. It is time for the SDLP to find its moral compass again."

(IT/JP)