Deliver payouts to Libya-sponsored IRA terrorism victims, urges Empey

LORD Empey has called on the government to deliver on compensation for UK victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism before agreeing to Libya’s request to the United Nations for the release of assets currently frozen in London.

The Ulster Unionist peer was speaking after a letter from law firm Mccue & Partners to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab MP said the “failure by HMG not to seize this opportunity would be an abdication of its duties and responsibility to the UK victims”.

The legal firm, which represents IRA victims fighting for compensation, said it had writ“i ten to Mr Raab after the “news that Libya plans to ask the United Nations to allow the Libyan Investment Authority to invest billions of pounds currently frozen in the UK”.

It added: “Will HMG now take this opportunity to ensure that any agreement by the UN to allow Libya’s request to unfreeze assets for these purposes is strictly conditional on a proportion of such assets and/or any future income generated by their investment by the LIA being used to compensate the UK victims of Libyan terrorism?”

And it urged the Foreign Secretary: “Please do not be swayed by advice from FCO lawyers, already demonstrated to be incorrect, that HMG cannot espouse the UK victims’ claims or that, somehow, Libya is not responsible for the loss and injuries they have suffered. Under any principles and application of International and UK law, Libya is responsible and HMG may espouse the claims of their UK victims.”

Lord Empey said there are over £12bn of Libyan assets in London alone, and the country’s request for the assets “is no surprise”.

“What passes for a government in Tripoli is fighting a rival government based in Benghazi, and different powers in the region are fighting a proxy war using local militias to pursue their interests,” he said.

“However, this request creates an opportunity for the United

Kingdom Government. With a veto at the UN Security Council, the UK’S support is required for these assets to be released.

“The question is, will London take a stand on behalf of the victims of Gaddafi-fuelled terrorism and insist on a deal with Libya to compensate our victims, just as other countries have done, or will they cave in and once again throw our victims to the wolves?”

He added: “If the government does not get itself some backbone and fight for the interests of the victims of Libyan-sponsored terrorism, it will be a huge betrayal of thousands of people.

“The IRA’S campaign would have ended years earlier had it not been for the supply of Libyan Semtex and weaponry.

sincerely hope that Boris Johnson will not be the Prime Minister that sells IRA victims down the river.”

Kenny Donaldson, spokesman for the Innocent Victims United group — many of whose members are part of the campaign for compensation — said it appeared the Foreign Office was “edging towards agreeing the release” of the frozen Libyan assets.

“It would be unforgivable were the government to green light the request made by the Libyan Investment Authority in the absence of a full agreement on the compensating of Gaddafi’s victims created c/o Provisional IRA terrorism,” he said.

“Enough is enough, this matter must be resolved now.”