February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — A renewed call by Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams for the inclusion of the killers of Det. Garda Jerry McCabe in the early-release scheme of the Good Friday agreement has been condemned by Progressive Democrats chairman Councilor John Minihan.
"For Sinn Fein to try to get them included now is, in my opinion, callous, opportunistic politics of the worst kind," Minihan said.
Five men were convicted for their part in the killing of McCabe, 52, a father of five, during an abortive post office van robbery in Adare, Co. Limerick in 1996. He was shot with an assault rifle at point-blank range as he sat in his car on escort duty.
The trial in the Special Criminal Court caused controversy when four of the accused had capital murder charges against them dropped. It carries a mandatory 40-year sentence.
The court jailed them for between 11 and 14 years for manslaughter and the government subsequently drew up new legislation to deal with intimidation of witnesses.
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Adams said there were difficulties and their release would mean pain for the government, the McCabe family and for the gardai.
"But nonetheless, these people come under the Good Friday agreement. There is nothing written down anywhere which says these people are not qualifying prisoners," he said.