McBride family express concern at British army march

Statement from Jean Mc Bride regarding the proposed British army parade in Belfast. The statement was issued through the Pat Finucane Centre Thursday 30 October

SPEAKING ABOUT the controversial British army parade, Jean Mc Bride said:

"There have been many dark days since my son Peter was murdered in September 1992. When the two soldiers convicted of his murder, Mark Wright and James Fisher, were granted early release in 1995 it was a blow. When they were reinstated in the army, despite their murder convictions it was a blow. They were posted to the Irish Guards Regiment as if to make the point that the murderers of an Irish citizen belonged in a so-called 'Irish' regiment.*

When the MoD decided they could remain in the army despite a judge's ruling that no exceptional grounds existed to justify the decision it was yet another blow.

I now learn that soldiers of the Irish Guards, the regiment which includes the murderer of my son, are to march a couple of miles from my home. When Peter's killers were sent to Iraq I said that my sympathies were with the Iraqi mothers whose sons might fall foul of the convicted murderers that were sent there. But I want to know which officials in the MoD thought it right to parade the Irish Guards through Peter's home town. James Fisher was convicted of the murder of my son and he remains in the Irish Guards Regiment.

Will James Fisher be marching through Belfast? Will his company or platoon be marching through Belfast or will his Commanding Officer be taking the salute?"

END

See www.patfinucanecentre.org/pmcbride/mcb for extensive background information about the case.

* Mark Wright was shot and slightly injured in a friendly fire incident and was granted a medical discharge.