Fr. Sean McManus, President of Irish National Caucus, calls for Public Inquiry into death of Raymond McCord’s son in 1997
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
The Irish National Caucus strongly supports not only the quest of Raymond McCord, Sr. for a Judicial Review for a Public Inquiry but also a full Public Inquiry itself into the appalling murder and cover-up of the 1997 murder of his son, Raymond, Jr.
Raymond, Sr. has huge support among Irish-Americans and in the U.S. Congress for his historic campaign for justice, not just for his own son but for all victims who have been denied due process and a fair and honest hearing by the British government. Raymond memorably testified before Congress about his son’s case in 2009.
After 27-years of been being lied to and obstructed, Raymond’s only real option is now a Public Inquiry.
The 2007 Report by Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, Operation Ballast, “upheld a complaint from his father, Raymond McCord, that over a number of years police acted in such a way as to protect informants from being fully accountable to the law.”
The British Government even accepted there was collusion in in the case…And even though the guilty are known, none have been brought to justice.
The Irish National Caucus is honored to join the others in Northern Ireland who in a cross-community display of solidarity are also supporting this quest of Raymond McCord Sr.—as are others in the Irish Republic.
Fr. Sean Mc Manus, President, Irish National Caucus
Chief Judge, World Peace Prize, Capitol Hill, Washington.
Comment
Once again the Irish Catholic priest Father Sean McManus stands with me in seeking truth and justice for my son young Raymond. He sees my son as a victim whose case successive British governments fear. And Father Sean is right. The Legacy Act and ICRIR are rejected by practically every victim’s family. A public inquiry is the only real option for my son’s murder. Collusion proven and accepted by the British government in 2007, yet no British Prime Minister has met with me. As a citizen of the United Kingdom I see how corrupt our justice system is in relating to victims of the Troubles, and that’s all victims of the state security forces or paramilitaries. No witch hunts just coverups. If the state bodies and courts had put in half the support and determination Father Sean has the murderers and their Special Branch handlers would have been convicted and jailed many years ago. Victims have got unity in their fight for justice, Father Sean is part of that unity. Political aspirations don’t include justice for one community but rather both communities as Father Sean has shown. I have no doubt Father Sean will stand alongside me and other victims when young Raymond gets his much deserved public inquiry. The priest stands with a unionist victim of the state and many other victims.
Raymond McCord
