Belfast Ten Defence Committee
Free Ireland1973Internment, repression and the courtsInternment, repression and the courts
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A committee has been set up to help defend the ten people charged in connection with the recent bomb exploisions in London. It is in urgent need of support. It calls on all those willing to defend democratic rights, and who are opposed to the continued repression of Irish militants to assist it in launching a national campaign to highlight the way in which the Belfast Ten have been treated since their arrest, and to demand their unconditional release.
The committee has been in touch with the families and associates of the Ten, and with their agreement has assumed responsibility for the welfare of the prisonersinsofar as the prison authorities are willing to have any provision for their welfare made.
The following facts illustrate the general attitude of the police and prison authorities to date. 1. In defiance of regulations and general practice, the ten were denied access to solicitors, and relatives who tried to visit them between March 8th, the day of their arrest, and March 12th..2. In defiance of regulations and "normal standards of decency" ning of the ten were kept completely unclothed in Ealing Police Station for the: same period. 3. In clear breach of the "legal rights of the citizen" the fingerprints of the ten were taken forcibly without any warrant being produced or sought. 4. Against all precedent, the three girls,. Dolores and Marion Price and Roisin McInerney, are being held in a male prison, Brixton. 5. The ‘visiting rights accorded all remand prisoners have been denied the Ten. Most visitors are simply not admitted. Their Belfast solicitor, Mr. Patrick McGrory, has not been allowed to see them.
Not one national newspaper “has made complaint against this erosion of civil liberty. It is therefore of the utmost -importance that the committee's campaign be given all possible support, The’ committee needs money - to bring the families of the Ten ta London to visit them, to ensure that food, cigarettes, books etc. are made available, and for printing, the hire of halls etc. At present the committee has no’ funds at all.
The committee hopes that a campaign for normal visiting facilities will so6dn be successful. We want to arrange a rotasystem which will ensure that each of the Ten has the statutory one visit per‘day. We therefore urge people to send us their ‘ names to be put on such a rota= list.
Offers of help of any other. kind will be gratefully received. For example, the families will need accommodation when they come to London.
All donations, name for the visiting rota, and other communications should be sent to Maureen Maguire, 88 Roslyn Road, London N15.
Published by the Anti-Internment League