The Irish Daily Star on the publication of the Oireachtas report on the Dundalk bombing.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last night directly challenged Tony Blair's government to help probe evidence that British forces helped Loyalists bomb the Republic and the North.

Mr Ahern was speaking after the justice committee of TDs and Senators issued a damning investigation report which looked at nine atrocities during the 1970s on both sides of the border which killed 18 people.

The report said there was strong evidence of collusion between Loyalist murderers and British security personnel and also criticised the Irish Government's failure to act.

"There is no doubt that more should have been done by this State to assist victims of these atrocities," said FF TD Sean Ardagh, who chaired the justice committee.

Bomb

Among the incidents looked at by the committee were the May 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the July 1975 murder of three members of the Miami Showband, an attack on Dublin Airport in November 1975, a bomb at Kay's Tavern in Dundalk, and an attack on the Three Star Inn in Castleblayney.

Mr Justice Henry Barron has already prepared reports which have named loyalists and British security personnel and were considered by the Oireachtas committee.

Mr Ahern, who is due to meet relatives of the murdered Miami Showband members today, said he fully supported calls for a full Dail and Seanad debate on the issue.

He added that it was absolutely essential that the British government examine the report's findings and fully cooperates with further investigations.

Official British Army documents from London's National Archive suggesting up to 15 per cent of the Ulster Defence Regiment were also loyalist terrorists formed part of the evidence reviewed by the committee.

It found an abundance of information to suggest the British state's involvement in murder during the 1970s, the report said.

"The fact that little or nothing was done to address this is, to put it mildly, alarming," the report said.

Relatives of the 18 victims last night complained that key British documents relating to the listed incidents had so far been withheld by London.

Alan Brecknell, whose father Trevor was shot dead by by loyalists in 1975 in an attack investigated by the committee, demanded the Irish government act on the findings.

Mr Brecknell said his family had spent years fighting for the truth to be heard about his father's murder.

"I know the truth, my family knows the truth. It is now important that the community at large hears the truth and above all listens to the truth," he said.

I Top I

The Irish Daily Star, 30 November 2006 (Editorial Comment):

Tell us the Truth

Yesterday an Oireachtas committee published its report into claims of collusion between British security forces and loyalist terrorists which resulted in the deaths of 18 innocent people in the Republic.

And the committee stated bluntly that it was in no doubt that there was collusion - and that it was widespread.

The findings of the report are utterly damning - as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said last night - "deeply disturbing".

It is horrendous to think that British agents worked hand-in-glove with groups like the UVF to plant bombs and deliberately blow to smithereens innocent citizens here.

This is mass murder - plain and simple.

And it is up to the Irish Government to make every effort necessary to bring those who committed these crimes to justice.

It must be made clear to the British Government that nothing short of the truth and justice will be acceptable.

As Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said yesterday - this won't go away.

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See early media reports from the http://www.breakingnews.ie/ dated 29 November 2006:

Britain 'Colluded Over Murders In Republic'

and British security forces 'colluded in international terrorism'

See also the following report from ireland.com: Barron finds British collusion in attacks

The Argus (Dundalk), 29 November 2006: A high level of collusion found in Dundalk bombing

The Daily Telegraph, 29 November 2006: Ahern call for ‘collusion’ inquiry

The Irish Independent, 29 November 2006: British and loyalists 'colluded in bombing'

Ulster Television News online, 29 November 2006:Green Party demand public inquiry

The Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland edition), 30 November 2006: Brits did help kill eighteen civilians Thatcher knew of collusion says report into atrocities

The Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland edition), 30 November 2006: Massacre of the innocents

The Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland edition), 30 November 2006: (Editorial) Collusion: The truth

The Irish Examiner, 30 November 2006: Government backs report on collusion in North

The Irish Examiner, 30 November 2006: The nine attacks — a litany of terror and death

The Irish Examiner, 30 November 2006: ‘What we have heard today are things we have known for years’

The Irish Independent, 30 November 2006: British colluded in 'butchery'

The Irish News, 30 November 2006: Families welcome collusion findings

The Irish Times, 30 November 2006: London must co-operate on collusion inquiries - Ahern

The Irish Times, 30 November 2006:

The Irish Times, 30 November 2006: Remit: the atrocities covered

The Dundalk Democrat, 6 December 2006: Dundalk Bombings News Special: Reports by Anne Marie Eaton:

Taoiseach supports debate on collusion

Hope at last for victims families

Case gets attention it deserves

Truth must emerge

The Argus (Dundalk), 6 December 2006: News Special Report of Independent Commission of Inquiry into Dundalk Bombing

International Terrorism Can UK now legitimately refuse to co-operate with investigation in the light of 9/11 and London bomb?

'Authorities in the Republic should have been more vigorous to bring perpetrators to justice' Principal conclusions of the Inquiry

A Culture of secrecy existed together with a grudging handing over of information

'Irish Govt. guilty of worse crime than bombers - they covered up'

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Here is media coverage of the fourth Barron Report:

The Irish News, 5 July 2006: "Relatives 'furious' over Barron report blunder

See also The Irish News online breaking news, 5 July 2006: Pub bombers 'treated better than victims' families'

See also: Oireachtas press release of 5 July 2006.

Daily Ireland, 6 July 2006: Blast victim’s relative hits out

The Irish Examiner, 6 July 2006: Loyalists had licence to kill Catholics, finds inquiry

The Irish Independent, 6 July 2006: Bombers 'treated better than victims'

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Relatives want 1975 bombing inquiry

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Horror lives on for bar owner

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Report points to RUC reservist's farm as base for UVF operations

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Hope that collusion theories may be brought to surface