Madam, - I wish first of all to congratulate the Garda Síochána for the successful operation at Lusk Post Office which was achieved without loss of life to members of the public or to gardaí.
It is unfortunate that there was any loss of life but I am sure that the gardaí were as anxious as everyone else to avoid bloodshed. However, it is hard to have sympathy for people who are making life a misery for so many throughout the country. A separate recent court bail application, which produced evidence of threats made to an abducted family, including a pregnant wife, shows how low these criminal thugs are willing to stoop.
The friends and accomplices of these criminal types who live lavish life styles from their illegal activities, at the expense of others, know and condone the activities, so there is very little point in crying crocodile tears when things go wrong for them.
From their ill-gotten gains, the criminal fraternity have accumulated wealth and property, not alone in this country but also elsewhere in Europe. Furthermore, much of the finance gleaned is used to import drugs into our country to wreak havoc and bring ruin to many innocent lives. - Yours, etc,
TONY FAGAN
(Retired Detective Garda),
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.
Madam, - Please allow me to correct misunderstandings of Amnesty International's call for an independent investigation of the incident in Lusk last week.
Amnesty has made no criticism of the Garda, nor have we commented on any aspect of the operation. In cases where lethal force has been used by members of An Garda Síochána, an independent and transparent investigation needs to be held, both in the interests of gardaí themselves and in the interests of public confidence and accountability. In other jurisdictions such cases are automatically referred to an independent investigative body such as an ombudsman.
Amnesty accepts, and international standards (ie the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, and the UN Basic Principles for the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials) recognise that police must sometimes be permitted to use force or lethal force do keep communities safe and protecting people from life-threatening attacks. But the force used must not be arbitrary; it must be proportionate, necessary and lawful. And it must be used only in self-defence or against the imminent threat of death or serious injury.
Independent reviews and transparency safeguard both the integrity of the Garda and public confidence. Requesting an independent investigation does not imply that the police acted improperly.
Had the incident happened in Northern Ireland, Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan would have begun an investigation immediately, as a routine matter of course. - Yours, etc,
SEAN LOVE,
Executive Director,
Amnesty International,
Fleet Street,
Dublin 2.