TUV leader Jim Allister has tabled a motion in the Assembly calling on the Victims’ Commissioner to consider her position after she avoided giving a straight answer when asked if the IRA and UVF were terrorists.
Commenting TUV leader Jim Allister said:
“In Wednesday’s News Letter Victims’ Commissioner Kathryn Stone was asked if she believed the IRA were terrorists and replied: “Well, and again the difficulty for me is that I know there are some people who believe absolutely that they were. There are others who believe absolutely that they weren’t”.
“The Commissioner gave a similarly evasive answer when asked about the UVF: “Some people would say they were; others would say they weren’t”.
“This has, understandably, caused widespread hurt to innocent victims of terrorists. Terrorism is not defined by what people “say” rather it is defined by the Terrorism Act 2000 (see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/section/1).
“The issue is very simple. Were the IRA and UVF terrorists? If the Commissioner cannot say that they were is she fit for office?
“Accordingly, I have today tabled the following motion and have invited other MLAs to sign:
Commissioner for Victims and Survivors’ Ability to Represent Innocent Victims of Terrorism
That this Assembly supports the definition of terrorism contained within the Terrorism Act 2000; notes with concern the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors’ failure to say that members of organisations which engaged in activities defined as terrorism under the law, namely the IRA and the UVF, were terrorists; believes that the Commissioner’s failure in this regard has fatally undermined her ability to represent innocent victims; and calls on her consider her position.
