Amnesty for terrorists or police 'would be a monstrous injustice'

By Michael McHugh, Press Association

Giving terrorists or police an amnesty from prosecution in Northern Ireland would be a "monstrous injustice", the Police Federation for Northern Ireland said.

Chairman Mark Lindsay said it would be "a disrespectful and a shameful act of betrayal" to link the names of officers with those of terrorists in the debate on legacy.

A total of 302 Royal Ulster Constabulary officers were killed and thousands injured during the 30-year conflict.

The Government is consulting on mechanisms to address the fallout from the past.

Proposals do not include a statute of limitations, lobbied for by British MPs, which would exempt soldiers and police from prosecution.

Mr Lindsay said: "Let me be clear: this organisation is totally opposed to any legislation which proposes an amnesty for any crime.

"That's any crime, whether committed by a police officer or terrorist from any side of the divide.

"Society must now decide whether the solution is a political solution or a criminal justice solution.

"If justice is to be done fairly, then society must move away from rumour, story-telling and political agenda and deal only with facts in law.

"It would be the most monstrous injustice to our murdered men and women if we were to accept some half-baked idea that resulted in the names of our colleagues being sacrificed for the sake of political expediency.

"That would be the ultimate insult."

Mr Lindsay was addressing more than 100 delegates at the PFNI's annual conference.