The decision by Drew Harris, the Assistant Chief Constable of the PSNI, not to investigate killings carried out by the secret British Army Military Reaction Force (MRF) of the early 1970s will surprise few within the nationalist community.

The MRF was the subject of a BBC programme last year. In it members of that clandestine force boasted of their activities. The MRF was particularly noted for carrying out drive-by shootings in which civilians were targeted. Pat McVeigh and Daniel Rooney were two of its victims. There were others.

At that time it was widely believed that these attacks were the work of unionist death squads but now we know that British soldiers, working to a strategy to heighten sectarian fears, were responsible. Continue reading →