Victims of loyalists complain of McCartney media bias

Irish Independent:

CATHOLIC victims of loyalist death squads complained of a "media bias" in favour of the family of Robert McCartney yesterday, writes Conor Sweeney.

In Brussels to launch a campaign to get an international inquiry into loyalist murders, the group Relatives for Justice said their voices are being ignored.

"If it's not an IRA victim, no one wants to know. If it's not one of the McCartney sisters speaking, the media aren't interested," claimed Robert McClenaghan, whose grandfather was killed in a bar bomb attack in 1971. The group is also seeking to highlight alleged collusion by British intelligence services.

Mr McClenaghan rejected the suggestion the campaign was being used by Sinn Fein for its own political ends, arguing it was the only party prepared to take an interest.

He said he would like to build a broader coalition with Protestant victims, but they "don't want to know" as soon as he raises questions about collusion between the PSNI and loyalist paramilitaries.

Independent Newspapers coverage was directly criticised by Hugh Jordan, the father of IRA member Pearse Jordan, whom Hugh believes was killed by loyalist death squads in November 1992 while driving his car.

He said false claims that his son had bomb equipment were released by the RUC immediately after the killing, but were later shown to be untrue.

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