17th May 2003

---

Securocrats Continue Media Spin

Reacting to further unsubstantiated media reports in a number of Sunday papers from un-named British securocrats Sinn Fein Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin said:

`` It is not surprising that those newspapers who last week carried, without question, reports from faceless and un-named British securocrats are this weekend carrying similar reports from the same sources.

`` The Sunday Tribune in particular makes a series of unsubstantiated allegations against an un-named Sinn Fein politician. As such these allegations are unchallengeable in law. As with last weeks avalanche of allegations no evidence is produced to substantiate any of them. It is gutter journalism of the worst kind.

`` None of these allegations can be detached from the recent publication of the Stevens report and recommendations that senior British securocrats be prosecuted for their role in murdering citizens in the Six Counties and the political vacuum created by the cancellation by the British government of the Assembly elections.

``  It is my belief that the most telling element of the weekend reporting is the attempts by faceless members of FRU to wash their hands of the murder of Irish citizens. Those newspapers collaborating with FRU agents in this endeavour are in effect attempting to keep the lid on the decades of institutionalised collusion and deny the truth to the families of the countless victims of British state killing in the north.''

---

Sinn Fein Press Office, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Tel: +353-1-8726100 and +353-1-8726839   ·   Fax +353-1-8733074
E-mail: sfpress@eircom.net   ·   Website: http://www.sinnfein.org

---

Sinn Fein   ·   Sinn Fein Documents

---