Pain is still felt today in Tyrone village, says Mid Ulster MLA

DUP Policing Board member Keith Buchanan has said that innocent victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland need to see progress on investigations in to the murders of their loved ones.
DUP MLA Keith BuchananDUP MLA Keith Buchanan
DUP MLA Keith Buchanan

Mr Buchanan raised the matter with the Chief Constable at a meeting of the board yesterday.

Speaking after attending a service held last night in Coagh marking 30 years since the murders of Leslie Dallas, Austin Nelson and Ernest Rankin Mr Buchanan said,

“On 7th March 1989 members of the Provisional IRA set out with the deliberate intention of carrying out an act of terrorism. They murdered three innocent men and pain is still felt the village of Coagh today.

"Those families, like so many others have never seen anyone brought to justice for the murder of their loved ones. I wanted to ask the Chief Constable directly what confidence he could give to innocent victims such as those in Coagh that they will receive answers or see any progress in investigations.

"Innocent victims are currently the only group not seeing some level of progress with investigations. 90% of deaths during the troubles were at the hands of criminal terrorist gangs yet as events of the last few days highlight, there is an almost singular focus on the actions of those who set out each day to protect the community. In every case of terrorist murder those responsible went out with a specific and singular focus to bring death and destruction onto our streets.”