...and no I'm not talking about the US!
Hundreds of former IRA prisoners are to attempt to have their convictions overturned and claim compensation, it was revealed today. Around 300 inmates are to allege that confessions were extracted from them under duress amid mistreatment in security force holding centres in the North. Many ex-prisoners cannot find jobs, insurance or loans because of their convictions and are barred from entry to countries like the US. Sinn Féin Northern Ireland Assembly member Carál Ní Chuilín said: “A lot of men in Long Kesh (prison) were only there because they signed a confession extracted from them under extreme circumstances in places like Castlereagh and Gough (police detention centres). “I am aware that there are a lot of people coming forward to build a case up. The issue about this is that this affected republicans and loyalists and people from unionist and nationalist working-class areas were in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up spending their lives in jail."
But in relation to countries like the UK and US who are currently 'bending' the rules in terms of how information is obtained in the current 'war on terror' this case, if successful, could provide an expensive headache further down the road.
Hundreds of former IRA prisoners are to attempt to have their convictions overturned and claim compensation, it was revealed today. Around 300 inmates are to allege that confessions were extracted from them under duress amid mistreatment in security force holding centres in the North. Many ex-prisoners cannot find jobs, insurance or loans because of their convictions and are barred from entry to countries like the US. Sinn Féin Northern Ireland Assembly member Carál Ní Chuilín said: “A lot of men in Long Kesh (prison) were only there because they signed a confession extracted from them under extreme circumstances in places like Castlereagh and Gough (police detention centres). “I am aware that there are a lot of people coming forward to build a case up. The issue about this is that this affected republicans and loyalists and people from unionist and nationalist working-class areas were in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up spending their lives in jail."
But in relation to countries like the UK and US who are currently 'bending' the rules in terms of how information is obtained in the current 'war on terror' this case, if successful, could provide an expensive headache further down the road.