Thank goodness for 28 days: Two suspects now charged with Constable Carroll’s murder

Thank goodness that terrorist suspects can be held for up to 28 days – this reform of the detention period has ensured that the police in Northern Ireland have had enough time to question the Constable Carroll murder suspects, whilst obtaining evidence from elsewhere, and have now charged a 37-year-old man as well as the 17-year-old suspect charged yesterday.

Clearly, this case is still sub judice so the case must now proceed through the Courts and the law must be applied. The charges must be proven by the Prosecutors and the highly-paid Defence Barristers can make their case against. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) – or, to highlight its cross-community nature, Seirbhís Phóilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann (Irish) or Polis Core o Norlin Irelann (Ulster-Scots) – has lost one of its most gallant officers.  Whether we are Catholics or Protestants, we overwhelmingly support our police service.

Constable Carroll (top),
Sapper Azimkar (left) & Sapper Quinsey

As yet, no one has been charged for the murder of Sapper Patrick Azimkar and Sapper Mark Quinsey of the Royal Engineers – and the attempted murder of two pizza delivery men – but already the Republican dissidents have been protesting outside Antrim police station against what they call “internment” (as well as an unfortunate intervention from the “bearded devil” himself, Gerry Adams MP MLA).  They are ably assisted by the “Human Rights Commissioner”, Professor Monica McWilliams (a former Assembly Member who lost her seat and should, by rights, have been retired and who was once, apparently, introduced to Bill Clinton as ‘Monica … er … Lewinsky’), and the usual suspects of human rights lawyers from the Human Rights Industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have already had my say on 42 days, but maybe the atrocities at Massareene and in Craigavon – and the need for at least 28 days detention in order to gather evidence to charge the suspects – will lead Dan Hannan and Iain Dale and the many others to question their unfortunate reactions to the DUP MPs’ and UUP MP Lady Sylvia Hermon’s understandable decisions (and, now especially, proven correct) to vote for 42 days. If they had helped to vote the Government down, things would be difficult here for them now. Though I for one found it very difficult to make up my mind on 42 days, some wise words were spoken last June:

A clear majority of the British people favour a longer detention period.  We believe that the British people are right.  They won’t readily forgive any politicians who allow a major atrocity to occur because our detention procedures prove to be inadequate.

It seems that Tim Montgomerie was right on 42 days, just as he is right on 45p today.

The 42 days issue seems to be dead and buried, at least the unelected and unaccountable House of Lords saw to that, but thank goodness for 28 days.  Let’s only hope and pray that this period is enough for the police to gather the evidence to charge those who are suspected of murdering these two brave, murdered Royal Engineers – young English boys who died serving their country in the most unexpected of circumstances.

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