RUC Helped Bomber Priest's 'Escape'

Senior officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) probing a multiple terrorist murder helped to cover-up the involvement of a Roman Catholic priest.

He was thought to be an IRA man and to have been closely involved in the bombing of Claudy, Co Londonderry in 1972.

Not only the police, but also the Catholic Church and the Westminster Government all conspired to cover up the priest's role in one of the worst atrocities of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

The NI Police Ombudsman's probe found that high-level talks led to Fr James Chesney - a suspect in the attack, being moved to the Irish Republic - even though nine people died in bombings on 31 July 1972.

In 2002, the Ombudsman, Al Hutchinson, began a probe into the original investigation and has today found that detectives had concluded that Fr Chesney was indeed behind the bloody attack that killed two children and seven adults.

He added that by acquiescing to a deal between the Government and the Catholic Church to move Fr Chesney to a parish in the Irish Republic, the Royal Ulster Constabulary was guilty of a "collusive act".

He said this had compromised the investigation and the decision "failed those who were murdered, injured or bereaved" in the bombing.

He said that if officers involved were still alive, "their actions would have demanded explanation, which would have been the subject of further investigation".

The Ombudsman found that the then RUC Chief Constable, Sir Graham Shillington, was made aware of this decision.

The investigation was sparked by claims that a NIO Secretary of State, Willie Whitelaw and the then leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal William Conway, conspired to cover up a priest's involvement in the bombings.

The bombing marked the day of the Army's Operation Motorman - itself the largest movement of British troops since World War II - when all the so-called 'No-Go' areas in Belfast and Londonderry were cleared and re-opened.

Now, eight years after the start of the investigation, the long-awaited report was released today.

The priest, who died in 1980, had been the curate in Cullion, a small parish in Co Londonderry.

The youngest victim was eight-year-old Kathryn Eakin who was cleaning the windows of the family grocery shop when the first bomb exploded.

The other people killed were Joseph McCluskey, 39; David Miller, 60; James McClelland, 65; William Temple, 16; Elizabeth McElhinney, 59; Rose McLaughlin, 51; Patrick Connolly, 15; and Arthur Hone, 38.

An RUC police probe was originally launched after a letter was sent to News Letter journalist - the late Ian Starrett - purporting to come from a priest to whom Fr James Chesney had admitted his involvement in the murders.

(BMcC/GK)