Statement from family of murdered pensioner Roseanne
Mallon
April 10th 2002
Following today's revelation in The Belfast Telegraph about the murder
of Tyrone pensioner Roseanne Mallon and the injuring of Brigid Mallon
in the same incident on May 8th 1994 the Mallon family have issued the
following statement through Relatives for Justice.
'The evidence put into the public domain today surrounding the murder
of Roseanne Mallon and the injuring of Brigid Mallon confirms our long
held view about the attack on our family home, namely that elements of
the RUC and British Army colluded with the loyalists who carried out
the attack. At best they were complicit – and at worst they actually
planned and assisted those who carried out the attack. We believe
today's disclosure clearly points to the latter.
Numerous questions must be answered in light of today's news including
who took the decision to tell the covert British Army unit who observed
the attack not to intervene when they radioed back to their barrack as
the attack took place or to apprehend the killers? Likewise why was
vital material evidence in the form of recorded videotapes concealed?
Tapes, which we believe, captured the killers as they struck.
The family decision to reveal part of the evidence today follows
several failed attempts by ourselves, Amnesty International and
Relatives for Justice to receive any responses from the Northern
Ireland Office concerning the disturbing nature of the evidence. Peter
Mandelson refused to meet us and did not reply to a series of questions
surrounding the incident. John Reid gave a personal commitment to
follow up on the requests by Relatives for Justice last June. He too
has yet to respond.
The evidence is such that the family is now calling for an independent
public inquiry into the full circumstances surrounding the murder to be
immediately initiated and is seeking an urgent meeting with John Reid.
The issues are such that this is the only vehicle that will uncover the
full facts, satisfy the family and the wider public interest.' ENDS
