Gaza public meeting in Cookstown ‘influenced by republicans’ says McCrea

Mid Ulster DUP MLA, Ian McCrea has slammed those responsible for organising a ‘Show your support for the people of GAZA’ event last week in the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown and for having a convicted IRA murderer as the guest speaker.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Sep 2014, 10:54 BST

Mr McCrea said: “I firstly would like to state clearly that I have no issue with genuine support and empathy shown to those innocent people that have been caught up in the fighting between Israel and Hamas along the Gaza strip.

“However this meeting was not about innocent people, but to support a designated terrorist organisation committed to the destruction of Israel. This pro-Hamas agenda is further reinforced through the choice of convicted IRA murderer Tommy McKearney as the guest speaker.

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“The republican campaign of terrorism waged by people like Tommy McKearney had absolutely no legitimacy and support lent by such individuals only reinforces the terrorism perpetrated by Hamas. Whatever anyone’s views about Israel, there can be no justification for the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel, which cause widespread destruction.

“Republicans are in no position to lecture anyone in Northern Ireland about violence given that targets of republican terrorism here included children on school buses and innocent people murdered for no other reason than their religion.’

Related topics:GazaIsraelIRAHamas