Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MAN, 65, QUIZZED ON BIRMINGHAM PUB BOMBINGS
Suspect, 65, held in custody overnight over 1974 atrocity
A MAN arrested in connection with the Birmingham pub bombings investigation is expected to face further questioning today after a night in police custody.
The 65-year-old, who was 19 at the time of the 1974 atrocity, was arrested yesterday morning at his West Belfast home which was also the subject of a search.
Twenty-one people died from blast injuries in the bombs in two Birmingham pubs, the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town.
A further 182 people were reported to h av e su r v iv e d i n j u r i e s from the no-warning blasts on November 21.
With the 46th anniversary of the attacks approaching on Saturday, news of the arrest came as a shock to those campaigning for justice for the dead.
Julie Hambleton, a leading member of the Justice For The 21, who lost her sister Maxine in the bombing, told The Mirror: “When I got the call from the police I thought it was about the anniversary this weekend. So I wasn’t thinking much when I picked up the phone I just thought it would be about that.
“Then when I answered the phone and was told the news – I just broke down.
“I couldn’t breathe, I just looked straight at the picture of Maxine and thought, ‘today is for you and the other 20’.
“But whilst it is a huge, significant development it is just an arrest and while I do not want to underestimate its importance this is still in its very early stages.”
And Julie praised the Belfast-based law firm which has been helping their push for an inquiry.
She said: “We could never have got here without all the help we’ve had along the way, this is a prime example of people power and the pressure we have been able to put on the authorities especially from our legal team KRW Law.
“They have had the courage, intensity and moral compass about this that many in the British establishment could well learn from. We are just hoping this leads somewhere now and we finally make some progress after 46 years. It’s something we have been waiting a long time for.
“Having this development – whatever happens – does not in any way lessen our desire for a full public inquiry to be held.
“There are wider issues which need to be examined and so much that went wrong, like why six men were arrested for a crime they didn’t commit.
“The fact is we’ve had to beg and campaign and give up our lives as we knew them to fight for justice.
“Justice that was never facilitated by the authorities whose job it was to do so.
“How was it that for so long, after 21 people were blown up and more than 200 other inno c ent s oul s were injured, nobody was looking for the perpetrators?”
A large police presence was in effect yesterday before the man was taken into custody.
West Midlands Police chief constable Dave Thompson said last year an active investigation was ongoing.
He added: “I see no constraints in terms of what we are doing around any political process.
“There is an active investigation by West Midlands Police. Enquiries have been carried out in recent years, especially from 2012. We are very active at the moment in pursuing this.
“It is my hope in the future West Midlands Police will be able to publish further details of our enquiries into the pub bombings to show the work and challenges that the force has faced.”
He added: “There are enormous challenges in investigating the pub bombings after almost 45 years but I remain determined to do all we can to bring those responsible to justice.”
much about racism and political correctness but I didn’t like it.
“I felt it was taking the p*ss and only did the show a couple of times before making some excuse about why I didn’t want to be in it. I didn’t tell anybody the real reason because I couldn’t put it in words. It just didn’t feel right.”
But in the same book, he also told of playing an “Asian comic from the Punjab called Mahatma Coat”.
He said: “I tanned my face, wore a turban and a white catsuit....people didn’t recognise me at all.” Shane got started as an entertainer at an Isle of Wight Pontins camp in the early 1980s.
He then moved on to the live comedy circuit and was nominated for Best New Stand-up at the inaugural British Comedy Awards in 1990.
Before his stint on I’m a Celeb, Shane, 56, teased he could return to Albert Square as Alfie Moon.
He said: “I would love to go back. I think under the present climate, there are still restrictions at Eastenders but I speak to Jessie Wallace a lot and I speak to Adam Woodyatt.
“Alfie thankfully is still alive and I think he is on the run in Spain and still owes Phil Mitchell some money. What is interesting is Jessie said the other week they got a letter from him so they still talk about him.”
Shane has also starred in Benidorm, Win, Lose or Draw and a stage version of Grease. But he is now skint.
He said: “You save for a rainy day but you don’t expect the rainy day to last eight months. Thankfully, I’ve been able to borrow money from mates, my family and the bank. I got rid of my car... I can get around on a moped.”
BLOND AMBITION Young Shane as Pontins bluecoat