Northern Ireland

Introduction of internment 50 years ago ended the 'unionist state'

Hundreds of nationalists were rounded up and detained without trial during Operation Demetrius which began on August 9 1971
Hundreds of nationalists were rounded up and detained without trial during Operation Demetrius which began on August 9 1971 Hundreds of nationalists were rounded up and detained without trial during Operation Demetrius which began on August 9 1971

Operation Demetrius, more commonly known as 'internment', began at 4.30am on Monday 9 August 1971, when hundreds of nationalists were rounded up and detained without trial. The policy led to widespread unrest on the streets of Belfast, but it is argued that it marked the beginning of the end of the 'unionist state'. Connla young reports.

THE introduction of internment 50 years ago today ended the "unionist state" in the north, it has been claimed.

More than 1,900 people were interned without trial between 1971-1975, when the policy was eventually ended.

The introduction of internment by the unionist-dominated Stormont regime, involved targeting hundreds of Catholics across the north on August 9, 1971.

In total around 1,900 people were interned without trial. Around 100 of the detainees came from the loyalist community.

Those detained were held at several locations including Ballykelly, Co Derry, Maidstone Prison Ship and Long Kesh in Co Antrim.

Shortly after the introduction of internment some of those detained claimed they had been tortured.

This group of 14 later became known as the 'Hooded Men'.

The abuse they suffered included being hooded, made to stand spread-eagled in a stress position against a wall and beaten if they fell, forced to listen to constant loud static noise, and deprived of sleep, food and water.

Historian Brian Feeney said the Catholic community was specifically targeted.

"It was just a general indiscriminate number people who were arrested," he said.

"There were substantial numbers of people arrested who had nothing to do with anything.

"There were more than 100 released within 48 hours, that's how bad it was.

"It was quite clear it was aimed against the Catholic community, it wasn't just republicans, it was the Catholic community and they were perceived to be the people that were threatening the state."

Mr Feeney said that those arrested included people involved in the civil rights organisations and members of People's Democracy "who had never lifted a finger to get involved in shooting or bombing".

"The other thing was the invasion of nationalist districts by the army and the savagery of the army, kicking doors in beating people as they were taking them out to saracens and anybody could see that," he said.

Mr Feeney said that the introduction of internment resulted in a backlash.

"It was on that day that the nationalist community as a whole turned its back on government and the unionist regime," he said.

"The unionist state was finished that day.

"Immediately afterwards the rent and rates strike began.

"It wasn't just republicans, people who were in professions, who were working in the civil service, were teachers all joined the rent and rates strike and that was the end, they were never going to go back to a unionist regime.

"It lasted six months, the unionist destroyed their own government by doing this."

Meanwhile, a group of former internees have launched legal action against the Secretary of State and Public Records Office over the release of internment records.

The judicial review comes after the Public Records Office and Secretary of State continue to withhold detention records.

The request for detention records came after a court ruled last year that the detention of former internee and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was unlawful because an Interim Custody Order (ICO) used to detain him in July 1973 was not authorised by then Secretary of State Willie Whitelaw.

Other former internees now want to know if the correct procedure was followed in their cases.

Eoin Murphy, of Ó Muirigh Solicitors, said his clients are entitled to see the documents that relate to them.

“Our client’s requests for their papers have been outstanding for a number of years with requests originally having been made in 2013," he said.

"The papers requested relate only to their own internment without trial and as such they are clearly entitled to them.

"PRONI alongside the Secretary of State are plainly in contravention of the time limits allowed for the production of documents."

He said some clients may be entitled to compensation.

"In light of the Adams case, these records have become all the more important as they may reveal if our clients were unlawfully detained on foot of invalid ICO’s and entitled to compensation from the Secretary of State," he said.

"It is my view that the Secretary of State is deliberately delaying the release of the records. The court will be asked to intervene given our clients right to an effective and expedient remedy.”