New inquest for Birmingham bomb victims
Relations call for culprits to confess as coroner reopens inquiry into 1974 IRA pub blasts that killed 21 people
A coroner has ordered fresh inquests into the deaths of the 21 victims of the Birmingham pub bombings, in a move that may pave the way for new criminal prosecutions of IRA bombers. Birmingham’s coroner said police apparently failed to act on tip-offs that said terrorists were to bomb two pubs in November 1974.
A CORONER has ordered fresh inquests into the deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham pub bombings, in a move that may pave the way for new criminal prosecutions of IRA bombers.
A relation of the victims last night said the bombers were “mass murderers” who should not be allowed “to walk free”.
The bombers were never caught and are not protected by the Good Friday Agreement, while former IRA leaders have said none of them received socalled comfort letters giving government assurances against prosecution.
Louise Hunt, the senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihill, ordered new inquests into the killings after what she called “significant” new evidence about the double bombing in crowded pubs on Nov 21 1974. She said West Midlands Police apparently failed to act on tip- offs terrorists were to bomb two pubs, with no indication officers took action to head off what became one of the most notorious attacks of The Troubles. Six Irishmen, known as the Birmingham Six, later spent 16 years in jail after being wrongly convicted of the attacks, in what is considered one of Britain’s worst miscarriages of justice.
Ms Hunt said evidence suggested police were told on Nov 10 1974, of an overheard conversation in which men linked to the IRA said that “Birmingham would be hit next week”. She said there was “no indication that the police took any active steps in response to it”.
A second tip-off to the police was not followed up on the day of the attack on the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs, she added.
Ms Hunt said: “I have serious concerns that advanced notice of the bombs may have been available to the police and that they failed to take the necessary steps to protect life.”
Families of the dead welcomed the fresh investigation after years of campaigning to reopen inquests that were suspended in 1975 after being overtaken by the criminal inquiry.
Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine was killed, said the bombers were cowards and called on them to come forward. She added: “We’re not going to allow them to die in vain, we’re going to fight to find out the truth.”
The actual bombers are alleged to have fled to Dublin, where at least two remain alive. A 1990 ITV documentary named four of what it alleged was a five-man team linked to the bombings, including Seamus McLoughlin, Mick Murray and James Francis Gavin, who have all since died. Nageena Khalique QC, representing families of victims, said: “It may be that these inquest proceedings shed light on new lines of evidence and may precipitate criminal prosecutions, but it’s difficult not to be cynical about that.” A former IRA intelligence director said there was no prospect of convictions. Kieran Conway said: “I don’t view IRA volunteers as murderers; I view them as people who participated in a just war.”
He said there was “no prospect of convictions” unless the bombers confessed as there was “simply no evidence”.