A lawyer acting for the families of the six Catholics murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1994 in Loughinisland has described the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland’s report on the atrocity as “one of the most damning expositions of state collusion in mass murder ever published”.
Niall Murphy was responding to the findings of Dr Michael Maguire’s inquiry into the gun attack that left Adrian Rogan (34), Malcolm Jenkinson (53), Barney Green (87), Daniel McCreanor (59), Patrick O'Hare (35), and Eamon Byrne (39) dead and another five injured.
In his damning report, the Ombudsman stated that “collusion is a significant feature of the Loughinisland murders”.
Questions had long been asked by the families over how those responsible avoided arrest. The Police Ombudsman found that police informers were involved in the attack and that the Royal Ulster Constabulary missed opportunities to gather evidence.
While there was no evidence that the police had prior knowledge of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) attack in County Down twenty-two years ago, the report was highly critical of the initial investigation, listing “catastrophic failings” by the police.
The RUC’s Special Branch intelligence unit was found to have withheld evidence from RUC detectives investigating the atrocity because a mind-set prevailed that placed the collection of information above the detection of crime.
One of the report’s key findings was that the RUC knew the suspects’ names within 24 hours of the deadly attack but delayed making arrests. One of those suspects was a police informant and the RUC did not investigate allegations that an RUC officer warned suspects that they were to be arrested.
The murdered men were watching the World Cup match between Ireland and Italy when the Loyalist gunmen burst into the Heights Bar in the small village and opened fire.
For over two decades, the families of the victims have alleged that the police failed to investigate the killings properly because they were protecting informers.
Paddy McCreanor, nephew of victim Daniel McCreanor, commented after the publication of the Ombudsman’s report, “Collusion is no illusion and collusion happened. The truth has come out and that’s all we ever wanted.”
Another family member, Emma Rogan, whose father Adrian was killed, said: “Today we finally have a report by the Police Ombudsman that at last vindicates our long-held suspicions and belief that the truth about these murders was being covered up by the very people - the police - who were supposed to be protecting us, be on our side and investigate and bring to justice those responsible.”
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