Claudy report due

Staff from the Police Ombudsman's office have this week been contacting the families of the nine people who lost their lives, as well as those who were injured when three car bombs exploded in the quiet Co Londonderry village on July 31, 1972.

The Sentinel understands that the relatives and victims were this week shown a briefing document on the report. They read it in the presence of the Ombudsman's staff and were told that the office was aiming to publish the report on a date in mid-August.

The Police Ombudsman's office yeterday confirmed to the Sentinel that it is discussing with the families to decide upon a date for publication, adding: "We are aiming for mid-August."

The Ombudsman's investigation was first launched in 2002 following an initial probe by police, and the report was expected to be released a number of years ago. At the centre of the investigation were claims that a Catholic priest was involved in the bombings and that a cover-up between Church and State led to him escaping justice.

Some of the victims of the Claudy bomb are unhappy at the way the release of the long-awaited report into the 1972 atrocity is being handled, the Sentinel has been told.

One of the people who has seen the documents shown by Ombudsman's staff this week, but who asked not to be named, said: "The report shows that Fr James Chesney was a suspect but he was never investigated because they feared there would be more murder and mayhem as a result. Ridiculously, another man was suspected of involvement but his alibi was Fr Chesney. It's amazing to think that a prime suspect could give an alibi and that it would be accepted.

"There wasn't much else in the report that we didn't know - we already knew there was a cover-up between the Secretary of State William Whitelaw and the Catholic Church.

"It seems incredible that this priest was able to get away with murder, and you wonder how many other times things like this happened. All those who died that day never got justice, because protecting a terrorist priest was seen as more important than getting justice for the dead and injured. I am really angry today.

"I also don't like the way this has been handled... it's unfair that we are told to read this report in someone's presence and then make comments. People have no time to take in what it's saying."

It was also claimed that Ombudsman's staff wanted comments that could be included at the public launch of the report and that they said it will be made public "at the Diamond Centre in Claudy in the middle of August".

The Ombudsman's office yesterday confirmed the proposal to publish in August but added: "The summary you have been given is inaccurate and unbalanced on several counts."

While families have not yet seen the whole report, it is believed the Police Ombudsman's office sees it as a significant document.

Details of the cover-up between church and state first emerged eight years ago, when police said that a search of 1972 papers threw up information "which clearly indicates that a parish priest in the South Derry area was a member of the Provisional IRA and was actively involved in the Claudy bomb".

The police probe was sparked by a report by late Londonderry journalist Ian Starrett, who published details of a letter purporting to come from a priest who said Fr Chesney had admitted his involvement in the atrocity during conversations with him.

In 2002, Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid, said: "Police can't find any record that the priest was ever arrested or interviewed about his alleged involvement in the Claudy bombing. Records show he provided an alibi for a person suspected of playing a prominent role in the atrocity. The priest is now deceased."

He went on to say: "We have also discovered papers indicating that in late November 1972 the police briefed Northern Ireland Office (NIO) officials on some of the priest's alleged activities. In addition, papers were found relating to a discussion held on 5 December 1972 between the then Northern Ireland Secretary William Whitelaw and Cardinal Conway. This private discussion occurred at one of the regular meetings that they held to address issues relating to the troubles. On 6 December 1972, the day after the meeting, a briefing letter was sent from a senior NIO official to Police Headquarters indicating that the private matter discussed related to the activities of the priest. The letter of 6 December 1972 indicates that the Secretary of State gave the Cardinal a full account of his disgust at the priest's behaviour and also indicates that the Cardinal knew that the priest was behaving improperly.

"The letter then states that the Cardinal mentioned the possibility of transferring the priest to Donegal. By January 1973, police reports show that the priest was not being seen in the south Derry area...Police can't find any record that the priest was ever arrested or interviewed about his alleged involvement in the Claudy bombing, or any other terrorist offence."

Eight-year-old Kathryn Eakin was cleaning the window of her parents' grocery store, when she was murdered; William Temple, 16, was delivering milk, Elizabeth McElhinney, 59, was serving petrol outside her pub. Within minutes, they were dead, as were Joseph McCluskey, David Miller and James McClelland. Rose McLaughlin, Arthur Hone and Patrick Connolly died within days. Five of the victims were Catholic, four were Protestant.