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McGurk's Bar relatives call for Hamilton meeting

The scene of the McGurk's Bar bomb
The scene of the McGurk's Bar bomb The scene of the McGurk's Bar bomb

Relatives of people killed in the McGurk’s Bar atrocity have urged PSNI chief constable George Hamilton to meet with them.

The call came after Mr Hamilton spoke during a public debate in west Belfast last week.

Fifteen people were killed when the UVF detonated a bomb in the North Queen Street bar in north Belfast in December 1971.

At the time security forces blamed the IRA but this was later shown not to be true.

In 2011 campaigners received a boost when a Police Ombudsman report found there had been “investigative bias” in how the RUC handled the original case.

It found that police failed to properly investigate loyalist involvement in the attack because they focused on the IRA.

However, the PSNI's Historical Enquiries Team later produced a report claiming there was no evidence of bias on the part of the RUC.

Angry relatives subsequently launched a legal challenge of that review which is due back in the courts next month.

Robert McClenaghan, whose grandfather Philip Garry (73) was the oldest McGurk’s victim, quizzed Mr Hamilton at last week's event.

“His comments that he does not want to 'defend the indefensible' were very timely,” he said.

“If he truly means that then he can back up his words by actions. Specifically he can stop fighting the McGurk's Bar families in the courts."

A spokesman for the PSNI said: “During the event at the (west) Belfast festival, the chief constable was asked a number of questions which he felt required further consideration and response.

“These issues will be addressed in the coming weeks as appropriate. Responses will be through direct communication with those who asked the questions.”