US politicians tell of outrage over killings
By Jim Dee
Belfast Telegraph
March 11, 2009
NEWS of Monday's murder of PSNI constable Stephen Paul Carroll provoked strong condemnations from several prominent US politicians.
Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal, who heads the Friends of Ireland grouping on Capitol Hill, said that he was "outraged".
"Across the island of Ireland, people have unequivocally rejected this recent spate of violence," said Neal. "We saw that again this morning at Stormont, when the First Minister, deputy First Minister and the Chief Constable all pledged to work together in the effort to bring the perpetrators to justice."
"A small group of criminals will not thwart the will of the people who want to see the peace process continue," insisted Congressman Neal.
Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, a staunch peace process supporter, said: "I strongly condemn the recent attacks in Northern Ireland and stand united with the political, community and religious leaders who unequivocally reject violence and remain committed to the Good Friday Accords, as the only way forward."
New York Congressman Peter King, the top ranking Republican on the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security said: "These murderers in Craigavon and Antrim must realise that they have no support whatsoever among Irish-Americans."
The killings have also been condemned in Irish-American circles.
Patrick Nee, who served US federal jail time for organising a 7.5 ton clandestine arms shipment to the IRA that the Irish navy intercepted ff the Kerry coast in 1984, told the Belfast Telegraph that IRA dissidents "have no support whatsoever" in South Boston, an area that was among America's most pro-IRA enclaves during the Troubles. "We're 100% behind the peace process" added Nee.
Nee also said that he didn't agree with Britain's decision to reintroduce undercover Army units into Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, it appears that the recent spate of killings will force the truncating of aspects of the US visit by First Minster Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness, although they are still slated to attend White House St Patrick's Day ceremonies.
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