Supergrass wishes to be back home in Derry

The supergrass Raymond Gilmour, says he wishes to return to his native Derry, and is asking the Sinn Fein leadership if it is safe for him to do so. Gilmour a former member of the INLA, and then the IRA, became a supergrass* sometime in the 1980's, his evidence brought over 30 people to trial in the early 1980s. The case against those Gilmor had accused was dropped because the then Lord Chief Justice dismissed his evidence as being "unworthy of belief".

Raymond Gilmour is now asking Sinn Fein leaders to promise he would be safe if he returned to Derry, where he still has relatives.
"I would like Martin McGuinness's assurances, and Gerry Adams's, and whoever else is in charge of Sinn Fein, Maybe not to live there, but maybe to come over for a wee holiday, or something like that. The only regrets I have are leaving all of my family behind me. I am suffering for it now. I have a heart complaint, I'm an alcoholic. You name it - I have all the psychological problems that go along with the things that I have done in the past." Said Gilmour

But Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein said Mr Gilmour must decide for himself whether or not it was safe to return to Derry, but that he was not under threat from Sinn Fein, nor - he believes - from the IRA. He said if exiles such as Gilmour wanted to return home, it was a matter for their own judgement and their ability to make peace with the community.

The SDLP's Alex Attwood said Gilmour and others should be allowed to return safely "Everybody in the community must make sure there are no constraints, or restrictions laid on them," he said.

*Supergrass

In the north of Ireland the term supergrass especially refers to arrested paramilitaries who offered up the identities of their comrades to British intelligence in exchange for immunity or money, most often both. Because of the obvious flaw in relying upon the evidence of a person who would betray for money or self protection, many convictions based on supergrass testimony were later overturned, and the supergrass system was discontinued in 1985. Though cases involving super grasses were eventually overturned, real damage was done, many of those named, and often their families as well, became suspects and targets for those factions enforcing the British presence in the North of Ireland.

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Supergrass wishes to be back home in Derry