Sinn Fein Summer-saults

["John O'Neill" <johnfergaloneill@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I thought list members might be interested in two unrelated news pieces in
the Irish media relating to Sinn Fein.

First, the body of Jean McConville appears to have been recovered after her
kidnapping and execution as an informer in December 1972. Family members
claim she was abducted by the PIRA because she wasa  protestant who on
marriage had converted to catholicism living in Divis Flats a republican
heartland and had comforted an injured British soldier. An alternative story
is told in Ed Moloney's book "A Secret History of the IRA" that Ms
McConville had been a spy for British intellengence and had been caught by
the PIRA with a radio transmitter and warned to desist in her activities.
She was caught a second time with another transmitter and a decision was
made by the PIRA to interrogate her during which she died (if true, British
intellegence must bear the responsibility for her death as she had been
totally comprimised). The PIRA had, for many years, denied any involvement
in her disappearance. Mitchel McLaughlin, Sinn Fein, in a statement to the
press today said; "It is our hope that the recovery of human remains at
Shelling beach, close to the site that was previously examined, brings
closure to the McConville family's long search for their mother's remains".

Secondly, last week an Irish Times reported that Coca Cola had made two
seperate donations to the US "Friends of Sinn Fein" amounting to $15,000.00.
For most leftists this was confusing considering that An Phoblacht
(newspaper of the provisional republican movement) have consistantly
highlighted the struggle of Colombian Trade Unionists against attacks and
intimidation of the Coca Cola workforce.

Even more surprisingly, in today's Irish Times a headline reads "Sinn Fein
mayor backing Claudy Bombing inquiry". Claudy, a small village in Co Derry
with a population of 400,  was bombed in 1972 by the PIRA and resulted in
the deaths of 9 people and scores of injured. Sinn Fein Mayor, Ms Ann Brolly
seconding the motion said that "the Provisional IRA should co-operate with
any inquiry which was set up to investigate the Claudy bombings.