BBC told to give tapes of IRA man to police Former terrorist admitted his part in pub bombings
ACOURT has ordered the BBC to hand over full records of an interview with a self-confessed ex-IRA bomber who claimed he was involved with the group responsible for the Birmingham Pub Bombings.
West Midlands Police served notice on the broadcaster last week that they were seeking an order to secure the tapes of an interview with Michael Christopher Hayes. It was granted by a judge at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.
Chief Constable David Thompson confirmed in August that his officers had carefully reviewed the interview with Hayes, which was aired on July 10. During the interview, Hayes, who lives in Dublin, apologised and offered “heartfelt sympathies” to relatives of the victims of the atrocity that claimed 21 lives.
He denied planting the devices himself and refused to identify those who planted the bombs in the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town on November 21, 1974 – but said he was speaking out to give “the point of view of a participant.”
Now aged 69, he said the bombs had not been intended to kill.
He added that when he became aware of the death toll from the two blasts, he personally defused a third bomb left on Birmingham’s Hagley Road.
The Chief Constable wrote to ask for all of the tapes of the interview, which include unbroadcast material, and the BBC previously told the Birmingham Post that it was considering the police request in accordance with its “editorial guidance and policies.”
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police says: “A production order for the unbroadcast material was granted at the court hearing on November 28 and we await the material from the BBC.”
Mr Thompson told a police meeting in the summer that the investigation into who was responsible for the attack had never been closed.
“While not an active investigation, this has never been closed,” he explained. “Our approach has been that, when new facts come to light, they are scrutinised carefully
“In terms of this specific case, we have carefully reviewed the interview. I have written to the BBC to ask for all of the footage to enable us to do a full assessment of what was said during this interview. The individual who made the comments is outside the UK.
“A decision on what additional action could be taken would be made in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service.”
Families of branded Hayes spineless” after was aired.
Justice4the21 campaigner Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine, 18, was among the victims, said: “He’s a coward, as simple as that. He’ll take collective responsibility for those unarmed, innocent people, but won’t say who did it.” the victims “gutless and his interview