8.3.05
Belfast Telegraph
Trimble blasted for silence over murder
Teen's family say UUP leader did not go after UVF
>By Chris Thornton
08 March 2005
The family of a teenager murdered by rogue loyalists has blasted David Trimble for not kicking up the same storm over the boy's killing as he has over the murder of Robert McCartney.
In a statement, the family of David McIlwaine accused the UUP leader and other unionists of not putting enough public pressure on the UVF killers of David and another Portadown teenager, Andrew Robb.
The family said they were angered when Mr Trimble accused nationalist politicians of not doing enough to support the family of Mr McCartney.
"It is our view that the McCartney family have shown more courage in six weeks than the unionist leadership has shown in the five years since these boys were murdered," the family said.
A spokesman for the UUP said the party, led by Mr Trimble, has consistently opposed all forms of terrorism. He said the UUP under Mr Trimble has campaigned against mafia culture from all sources, loyalist or republican.
The family's criticism came after Mr Trimble's speech to the annual meeting of his party's ruling council.
Mr Trimble said it was "a reproach to the natural social and spiritual leaders of northern nationalism" that the McCartney sisters had to take the lead in trying to bring their brother's killers to justice.
The McIlwaine family accused Mr Trimble and DUP leader Ian Paisley of failing to support their hunt for facts about the murder. They believe at least one of the killers was a police informer. The DUP was asked to comment on the accusation, but had not responded this morning.
But the Portadown family singled out Mr Trimble, as the MP in the area where the killings took place, for particular criticism.
"We don't think Mr Trimble put enough pressure on the political representatives of the UVF as he has so ably done with Sinn Fein over Robert McCartney's killing.
"He didn't ask questions in the House of Commons about the gruesome slaughter of two children from his constituency as he did about Mr McCartney's murder.
They said: "The psychopaths who butchered these two boys are still enjoying their freedom even though there is overwhelming evidence against them and witnesses have come forward, the two things Hugh Orde said were needed in the McCartney case."
They added: "The silence from Mr Trimble, and Mr Paisley for that matter, is deafening.
"If David had been murdered by republicans we would not have been able to beat Trimble or Paisley away from our doors.
"In the five years since David was murdered we have fought for justice for the child.
"David Trimble or any other mainstream unionist have refused to help us in any way to get justice.
"So Mr Trimble and Mr Paisley by their actions seem to be saying to us that Mr McCartney's killers must face justice but the killers of David and Andrew can escape justice because he or Mr Paisley won't show the same leadership so admired by Mr Trimble in the McCartney sisters."
Trimble blasted for silence over murder
Teen's family say UUP leader did not go after UVF
>By Chris Thornton
08 March 2005
The family of a teenager murdered by rogue loyalists has blasted David Trimble for not kicking up the same storm over the boy's killing as he has over the murder of Robert McCartney.
In a statement, the family of David McIlwaine accused the UUP leader and other unionists of not putting enough public pressure on the UVF killers of David and another Portadown teenager, Andrew Robb.
The family said they were angered when Mr Trimble accused nationalist politicians of not doing enough to support the family of Mr McCartney.
"It is our view that the McCartney family have shown more courage in six weeks than the unionist leadership has shown in the five years since these boys were murdered," the family said.
A spokesman for the UUP said the party, led by Mr Trimble, has consistently opposed all forms of terrorism. He said the UUP under Mr Trimble has campaigned against mafia culture from all sources, loyalist or republican.
The family's criticism came after Mr Trimble's speech to the annual meeting of his party's ruling council.
Mr Trimble said it was "a reproach to the natural social and spiritual leaders of northern nationalism" that the McCartney sisters had to take the lead in trying to bring their brother's killers to justice.
The McIlwaine family accused Mr Trimble and DUP leader Ian Paisley of failing to support their hunt for facts about the murder. They believe at least one of the killers was a police informer. The DUP was asked to comment on the accusation, but had not responded this morning.
But the Portadown family singled out Mr Trimble, as the MP in the area where the killings took place, for particular criticism.
"We don't think Mr Trimble put enough pressure on the political representatives of the UVF as he has so ably done with Sinn Fein over Robert McCartney's killing.
"He didn't ask questions in the House of Commons about the gruesome slaughter of two children from his constituency as he did about Mr McCartney's murder.
They said: "The psychopaths who butchered these two boys are still enjoying their freedom even though there is overwhelming evidence against them and witnesses have come forward, the two things Hugh Orde said were needed in the McCartney case."
They added: "The silence from Mr Trimble, and Mr Paisley for that matter, is deafening.
"If David had been murdered by republicans we would not have been able to beat Trimble or Paisley away from our doors.
"In the five years since David was murdered we have fought for justice for the child.
"David Trimble or any other mainstream unionist have refused to help us in any way to get justice.
"So Mr Trimble and Mr Paisley by their actions seem to be saying to us that Mr McCartney's killers must face justice but the killers of David and Andrew can escape justice because he or Mr Paisley won't show the same leadership so admired by Mr Trimble in the McCartney sisters."
