1 THE QUESTIONING OF JOHN JOSPEH BERKE ANYONE famitiar with interrogation tactics in the North of Ireland knows that from time to time prisoners jump out of windows, beat themselves up. and burn themselves with cigarettes.
as do their counterparts in South Alrica when they are asked to exo ain injuries received by prisoners in their But in the questioning of 17-yearold Burke a new variation of familiar theme was offered by the police. According to identical statements made by Detective Constables George Richardson and Robert Miller this is what occurred on 17 January last year.
'During the interview at 3.45pm, I (Miller) informed Burke .E Ebringion Barracks in July 1916 when a soldie will under caution and Be teplied s still under caution and he teplied had nothing to do with it"". point Burke appeared to get very nervous and started shaking. "He started shouting that his father was dead and that he heard noises in his head. At this point he suddenly jumped out of the chair and dived with his head at partition SHEET VIEW subsequently smashing it.* According to the police, Burke was then taken back to his cell. TOO ATOR signed a statement which the police ANICE NES CIAL UP DEL DEESE was later to withdraw his confession and in court he pleaded not guilty. claiming he had been forced to sign the statement. The "confession" was the only substantive evidence offered against Burke.
THE AS WITH BURKE, Harkin was to sten a confession drawn up by the Left Han April: Pant Poor a Vera on BROADSIDE EDMUND HARKIN received jail sentences totalling 165 years last month in Belfast. It was the largest cotal handed out in the last ten years in the North of Ireland. The judge recommended that Harkin should serve a minimum of 25 years. He and two other men were found guilty of various offences involving explosions and the blowing up of a soldier.
By studying documented evidence produced by the prosecution at the trial and talking to various witnesses, Socialist Challenge has pieced together the story of the interrogation and trial of Harkin and the two other accused men, Thomas Joseph Murray and It is a salutary tale of how justice is practised in the North of Ireland, GEOFF BELL reports.
police, but complete lack of detail facts which wish to statement said. can't were Military At this two days after his confession':
LARGE BRUISE the plate glass room, The and spine.
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And Harry Moshare intreduction 10 Capital and of Tany Chitt on Lenin. from 17 Hornsey Park Riced. Lenden NO.
TRADE UNIONS AND APARTHEID 1.305 ROADGANG (Socialist Feminiet міти сетриту годалев experienced Touch Tapist or someone allegedly based information freely given by Harkin. This confession' is remarkable for its - Important Harkin 'couldn't Harkin couldn't remember" who told him to make up the bombs, or where he made them up, but this it could be argued is because he didn't implicate otters Yet according to the statement be also 'couldn't remember' whether be bad made the bombs in a house or a shed, what type of equipment he had used in him making them. 'I gave the bombs to the boys who were to plant them,' the *All they had io do exactly whar Now of course it could be that Harkin had simply a bad memory, but consider the extreme vagueness of this in the contert or the following statement which has heen made available to Socialist Challenge by the first person to visit Harkin after his questioning on 2 February 'Edmund did not recognise me for a few minutes and he appeared to me to be under the influence of drugs. His eyes were dazed. He sat down at a morning table and 1 asked how he was. He showed me a large bruise on the top of his shoulder, at the base of his neck. When he pulled up his shirt there was extensive bruising on his ribs and "His hair appeared to have been AULICE LOSe CLEAT IT ST and was soaking with water... Tasked Edmund if he had complained about bis treatment and be did not seem to extremely sleepy. I asked the policeexplanation Edmund's state and at this point I was No other visitor was allowed to see willing to leem. 35 hour week, 55e Mander's alanding Stane about 20I00001 DETER oming monihs. Marr 3,4,5 in Ecut Lanchesie 25,24 in workaline and 27,8s dune an maicings un EDMUND HARKIN Harkin for three days. He was later to tell friends that during questioning he was shown a list of charges and isked to take your pick of the ones ic was to confess to. Harkin was late to withdraw bis confession, claiming ill-treatment, and that he signed a statement which he had no part in writing or giving details for. would certainly explain the vagueness withdrawn confession was the only substantive evidence ottered against 3 THE QUESTIONING OF THOMASJOSEPH MURRAY THE PICTUKE presented in the questioning of Murray was of a young man who had been forced to carry the 'confession", dated 1B January 1976, am not in any way connected with the IRA. I feel much happier now that 1 have got this cleared up and off my So the impression is of a willing oonfessor pouring our all he can to the police. But the following day Murray He was alleged to have said: 1 forgor to tell you last night that 1 cook anotber bomb into Ebrington. As E told you, I took in the first bomb that and left it beside the workshed "Well at dinner time the same day 1 went back out of Ebringion Barracks and went to the same house 1 collected the first bomb from.
Murray's statement then goes on to had forgotten planting a sscond homh. Convenfor the police, this is exactly what the second statement says Murray, too, was later to withdraw his "confession.
ensicalng suppanars an urged te on San, 26 Maros teachers INTERNATIONAL Socialists Ferolut one 4 THE TRIAL WHILE THE three remand, Edmund Mason, Secretary other things of the length of time i was taking for the case to come to court. She received a reply from the Northern Ireland Office, which read: *You say you were informed that it could take a year for your brother to be brought to trial. unlikely. There have been cases where a long delay has occurred and this is very much regretled, but the majority of cases are dealt wich in under six months. Many more are cleared up in a matter of a few weeks In fact it took exactly a year for the case to be heard.
Usually they police think they will have difficulty proving a case against, but who can b locked up more Police uncertainty appears to be present in the Harkin case.
PLEA BARGAIN
Socialist Chullenge understunds rhat during the trial, Harkin's lawyer was approached by the prosecution who prontised that if Harkin would plead guilty to the explosion charges. charge of murder for the soldier killed in the explosion would be dropped.
The cugeestion was also made that it Harkin co-operated, the police would speak an his Harkin refused the offer, but Murray Po about wanty-onD Mrs voted against howay doose to siscuss gran Tues. 26 Manch lon Stract opposite Kilburn Scuare, ART Longer Tickots ao 1.50. 51 forclaiment Unity o-l8 meters and elmers by Siven Marks. 2.30pm, 1 April at Swanhmore men were on Harkin's sister than Harkin, of operate in the This is most INJURIES Such long remands police surgeon apply to suspects the his questioning.
on remand for a year and certainly plausible" were self-inflicted longest the been cauico In Parliament the Prevention of Terrorlam Act was renowed last wook.
THE CONFLICT in the Hernaf Afre railed the area and will lead th Rukennues 2о warn 3 0-00 Fi Canters at dom on 24 March Entrance RESISTANCE:
Mech 23.28,30 Marth Chile Wilson did change his plea to guilty. While it was made by the prosecution with Murray. he did get a lighler sentence and Police Inspector Riddle dic testify on his behalf.
The trial itself was presided over by Judge MacDermon Thanks to the odd standards of justice which North of Ireland, the Judge was also the jury, He found all three men guilty; Harkin and Burke on the strength of their "confessions'; Mutray on his guilly" plea. Evidence which provided an alibi for Haikin was pot called by his defence lawyer, apparently because he dida t wish co implicate the witness, But two doctors including a did testify that Harkin had received injuries Dealing with the allegation that the police had caused these injuries, the judge made the . In his opinion, the injuries And chat is how Edmund Harkin entered the record books for the total sentence HITY "terrorist" in the North of Ireland Convicled on the strength of a confession that was withdrawn — is spite of prosecution uncertautly that the charpes would stick, and despite SNESS WHICh were Can mauser he caused by his interrogators Just one more thing, It vou happe to visit a police station in the North of Ireland and see a smashed glass partition, rest assured that it wall have who suddenly dived tbrough it head first.
FIGHT RACISM begger, self them tr committe 1, 8C. Bades, F.O.50 Lorcen Ni Cheques payable 10 1
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 23 March. 1978 page 11
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But does a planted are und to th mage presented in Murray's first our all he knew as soon as he coult?
when asked by our reporter wh been deported, Mr Rees replied: "Watch it, mate, or you'll be next.
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