3.8.04
Belfast Telegraph
SDLP in talks with O'Loan
By Noel McAdam, Political Correspondent
nmcadam@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
03 August 2004
The SDLP was today meeting Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan as the political fallout from her report into the police raid on Stormont almost two years ago continued to reverberate.
The party delegation, however, announced in advance its intention to focus on a number of other recent issues - including parading - as well as the Stormont raid controversy.
Justice spokesman Alex Attwood said the delegation would be raising the use of CS spray by the PSNI in Londonderry at the weekend as well as complaints from the SDLP on police actions at Parades in the Ardoyne and Lurgan.
The west Belfast Assembly member, who headed the delegation, said there would be particular reference to the actions of the senior police officer at the scene in Lurgan.
On the Stormont raid report, Mr Attwood said: "The report is welcome. It confirms what the SDLP claimed at the time - police action was heavy-handed. Even Hugh Orde appeared to accept this shortly after the raid.
"It is interesting that the Ulster Unionists through Sir Reg Empey have accepted the report, thereby accepting that the PSNI were heavy-handed".
"The report is also a further vindication of the independence and power of the Police Ombudsman's office," he said.
SDLP in talks with O'Loan
By Noel McAdam, Political Correspondent
nmcadam@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
03 August 2004
The SDLP was today meeting Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan as the political fallout from her report into the police raid on Stormont almost two years ago continued to reverberate.
The party delegation, however, announced in advance its intention to focus on a number of other recent issues - including parading - as well as the Stormont raid controversy.
Justice spokesman Alex Attwood said the delegation would be raising the use of CS spray by the PSNI in Londonderry at the weekend as well as complaints from the SDLP on police actions at Parades in the Ardoyne and Lurgan.
The west Belfast Assembly member, who headed the delegation, said there would be particular reference to the actions of the senior police officer at the scene in Lurgan.
On the Stormont raid report, Mr Attwood said: "The report is welcome. It confirms what the SDLP claimed at the time - police action was heavy-handed. Even Hugh Orde appeared to accept this shortly after the raid.
"It is interesting that the Ulster Unionists through Sir Reg Empey have accepted the report, thereby accepting that the PSNI were heavy-handed".
"The report is also a further vindication of the independence and power of the Police Ombudsman's office," he said.
