Sir, - Your journalist, Carol Coulter, needs to research her material before she publishes an article claiming to be a history of the controversy on the abortion issue. In her article (November 29th) she implies in just one sentence that I was a member of Youth Defence (completely untrue), that I wrote a book claiming that the man in the X case was innocent (absolutely untrue), that I was an activist in the No Divorce campaign (totally untrue), and that I am a young man (unfortunately untrue).Perhaps Carol would be so good as to phone me the next time she wishes to mention my name in one of her articles.
That way she could refer to the fact that I have frequently written on the front page of The Irish Times, and every other Dublin newspaper, not to mention a few country newspapers and periodicals - using the pseudonym Tom Kerr. At least she would learn that I am in fact a journalist by profession. - Yours, etc.,Clement Loscher,M.Phil. B.A. H.Dip. Dip Cath.Dip Comp. MD/Editor,Northsider Weekender,Westside Weekender,Deputy Editor, GrocerMagazine,Fairview StrandDublin 3.Carol Coulter writes:I accept that Mr Loscher was not a member of Youth Defence and regret the implication. His book, The X Case: How Abortion was Brought into Ireland, which was published in 1992 by Human Life International, contained a chapter devoted to questioning the DNA evidence which was taken from the man in the X case. Mr Loscher wrote: "It would seem extraordinary for someone guilty of a crime such as this to give a sample knowing it would incriminate him."Mr Loscher, using the names Clem Loscher and David Stokes, is prominent in Donald Taylor Black's film on the No-Divorce Campaign, Hearts and Souls. In this film Mr Loscher is shown attempting to persuade Fianna Fail TDs to sign an advertisement for the N-D C calling for a No vote. He has advised us that he was a paid media advisor for the Campaign.