2002

January 2002

Monday 21 January 2002
The Northern Ireland Assembly debated a motion tabled by Monica McWilliams, then member of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (NIWC), and supported by the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI).  The motion called on the British government to provide security documents on the Loyalist bombings in Dublin and Monaghan (on 17 May 1974) to the Inquiry taking place in the Republic of Ireland.  The NIWC had been approached by the Justice for the Forgotten seeking aid to secure the documents given a slow response by the British government.  The  Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) opposed the motion but it was passed in a vote.  [33 people were killed in the bombs in Dublin and Monaghan.] (BBC)
John Hume, former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), gave evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.  Hume was asked why he had not supported the anti-Internment march on 30 January 2002. (BBC)

Wednesday 23 January 2002
The Bloody Sunday Inquiry announced that it would temporarily move to a location in Britain in order to hear the testimony of British Army paratroopers who fired the fatal shots in Derry on Bloody Sunday (30 January 1972). The 36 soldiers had won court cases that supported their wish not to have to travel to Derry to give evidence. [The soldiers will also retain their anonymity during the proceedings. Initially Lord Saville suggested that the soldiers' evidence could be taken by a video link from Britain. However both the soldiers and the families of those killed and injured objected to this solution.]

Sunday 27 January 2002
There was a ceremony in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, to remember the victims of the Holocaust. The event was attended by David Trimble (UUP), then First Minister, and Mark Durkan (SDLP), then Deputy First Minister. The ceremony marked the 57th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz.

Tuesday 29 January 2002
There were media reports that members of the security forces would soon lose the right not to have to give evidence at inquests. British Army soldiers and police officers are currently exempt from being compelled to attend inquests when they have been involved in fatal shootings. The change was expected to be introduced by the British government sometime in February 2002.

Wednesday 30 January 2002
Relatives of those killed on Bloody Sunday (30 January 1972), together with some of the surviving injured, and about 2,000 other people, gathered in the Bogside in Derry to mark the 30th anniversary of the killings. A minute's silence was held at the time when the first shots were fired. Dr Edward Daly, the former Bishop of Derry, rededicated the memorial to the dead. In his address he said he prayed "for victims everywhere - here, in Afghanistan, the Middle East and New York". He added: "We identify with all people who have suffered, of whatever race or religion or nation".

February 2002

Monday 11 February 2002
Geraldine Finucane the widow of Pat Finucane, a Belfast solicitor killed on 12 February 1989, criticised the British government for a delay in considering her appeal for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of her husband. In November 2001 John Reid, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced that an international judge would be appointed to decide if an independent public inquiry into her husband's death was necessary. [However this decision was criticised as a delaying tactic by the government.]

Tuesday 12 February 2002
The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, a group based in the United States of America (USA), published a report in to the death of Pat Finucane, a Belfast solicitor killed on 12 February 1989. The report was entitled: 'Beyond Collusion: The UK Security Forces and the Murder of Pat Finucane' [PDF FILE 324KB]. The report repeated earlier allegations of collusion between security forces and Loyalist paramilitary groups and also claimed to have found new evidence to support the claims.

Wednesday 13 February 2002
Tony Blair, then British Prime Minister, called on Sinn Féin (SF) to take note of the plight of 'exiles' - people who had been forced to leave Northern Ireland by paramilitaries. He said that a resolution of the issue was an important part of the peace process. [The issue was debated in the House of Commons on Thursday 14 February 2002.]

Wednesday 20 February 2002
Groups representing those killed in the Omagh bomb (15 August 1998) met in London to launch a fund-raising campaign to obtain the £2 million required to bring a civil action against those believed to be responsible for the bomb attack. The meeting was attended by Bob Geldof, musician and Live Aid founder, Barry McGuigan, a former world boxing champion, and Peter Mandelson, former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. [The appeal was launched in August 2000 and had raised £800,000. The deadline for raising the funding is August 2002.]
Relatives of those killed in the Omagh bomb wrote a letter to Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), asking for "an independent senior investigation officer" to lead the police investigation. Flanagan later stated that he had no intention of removing the current investigating officer.

Tuesday 26 February 2002
John Reid, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, wrote to the Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings providing a response to a letter sent by the Inquiry on 10 November 2000. [The information was provided in the form of a ten-page. An appendix to the letter consisting of six pages gave details concerning the structure and control of intelligence gathering in Northern Ireland during the 1970s.]

March 2002

Monday 4 March 2002
The Belfast Telegraph (a Belfast based newsaper) reported on a paper entitled Post Mortem by Michael McKeown. The paper (which was circulated privately) was a study of the motives behind the killings that occurred during the conflict. McKeown used eight general categories, ranging from "counter insurgency" to "economic sabotage", and applied one to each of the more than 3,600 deaths that occurred after 1969. His figures showed that 31.19 per cent of the deaths were attributable to attacks on security forces and most of these were carried out by Republican paramilitaries. 26.91 per cent were the result of sectarian attacks with the majority carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries. 18.52 per cent of killings were "punitive" attacks - killings carried out by paramilitaries to intimidate their own communities or protect rackets. " Counter insurgency" killings accounted for 7.15 per cent of the deaths.

Tuesday 5 March 2002
A plan to display 'Easter lilies' in the main hall of Stormont parliament buildings was rejected by the corporate body of the Assembly. Unionists had objected to the display of flowers which are seen as a Republican symbol. It was suggested that shamrocks should be put on display instead.

Thursday 7 March 2002
The family of Pat Finucane, a Belfast solicitor killed on 12 February 1989, said they were "insulted" by a British government's offer of compensation of £10,000. The British government had been ordered to pay compensation by the European Court of Human Rights because the government had failed to carry out a proper investigation into his killing. Finucane's widow said her family had not sought compensation but had requested a full independent judicial inquiry.

Tuesday 19 March 2002
Nationalists and unionists are demanding that a monument erected in County Fermanagh in memory of three dead IRA men is taken down.  It was put up on Saturday 16 March 2002 close to where two men were killed by the IRA near Belleek.  But Sinn Fein claims republicans had every right to put the memorial there.  The monument is situated near the spot at Slater's Crossroads where two Protestant workmen were murdered in 1988.  It is just yards from the border with the Republic of Ireland. (BBC)

April 2002

Monday 8 April 2002
The Omagh Victims Group accused the British government of dragging its heels over compensation payments to those who were bereaved or injured.  The group claimed that families that had lost relatives were still waiting despite the British government having said that it would fast-track payments.   However, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) blamed solicitors acting for the claimants for the delays. (BBC)

Thursday 11 April 2002
A £3m strategy to help victims of the Troubles is to be launched by Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers on Thursday.  The strategy includes what is thought to be the first official attempt to define a victim.  A catch-all definition contained in the plan avoids any political categorising of victims.  It also contains 50 pledges of action intended to provide practical help and services to victims of the Troubles.  Intimidation  The strategy defines victims as those physically or psychologically injured by violent conflict related incidents, along with their close relatives and partners and those who mourn people killed during the Troubles. (BBC)

A £3 million sterling strategy was unveiled yesterday to help victims of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. "Reshape, Rebuild, Achieve" plans to give practical help and services to those who suffered during the Troubles.  In what is believed to be the first official attempt to define a victim, it does not differentiate between civilians, paramilitaries, or members of the security forces.  A victim is "the surviving physically and psychologically injured of violent, conflict-related incidents and those close relatives or partners who care for them, along with those who mourn their dead".  The Stormont Assembly's strategy has nearly 50 actions across a range of areas including recognition, access and information, health, education and learning, housing and the development of business skills.  A at the launch the North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said: "This strategy addresses the needs of those who have suffered over the last 30 years. It tackles areas which victims themselves have told us are important."  Funding of £1.5 million from the Northern Executive is matched by the same amount from the Northern Ireland Office. An SDLP junior minister, Mr Denis Haughey, said the importance of a committed, co-ordinated approach to victims' needs could not be under-estimated. (BBC)

Thursday 13 April 2002
A Londonderry man, who was forced into exile, has met the Northern Ireland Victims' Minister Des Browne to ask him to help in his campaign to allow him to return to Northern Ireland.  Joseph McCloskey was told to leave Derry by the IRA over a year ago.  The 30-year-old who worked in a bar in the city, claims he has not been allowed to return home because of an IRA death threat.  He and his mother Bridie and the Labour MP Harry Barnes met Mr Browne on Thursday.  Mrs McCloskey said it was a positive meeting and hoped that the death threat placed against her son would eventually be lifted. (BBC)

Wednesday 24 April 2002
Six former Official IRA men have been granted permission to have a legal team present when they give their evidence to the Bloody Sunday inquiry.  But they will not have legal representation at any other time during the hearings which are sitting in the Guildhall in Londonderry.  (BBC)

May 2002

Wednesday 1 May 2002
New arrangements to improve compensation for the victims of violent crime come into force on Wednesday.  The move also ends a law which meant victims of sexual abuse could not claim compensation after a three year time limit.  The Criminal Injuries Compensation (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 is the result of a review undertaken by victims' commissioner Sir Kenneth Bloomfield and former secretary of state Mo Mowlam.  Northern Ireland Office Minister Des Browne said from Wednesday anyone who became a victim of violent crime could use a simpler and quicker method to get compensation.  "The tariff-based scheme will remove the lengthy negotiations required under the common law system and reduce the trauma for victims of reliving distressing experiences," he said. (BBC)

Thursday 2 May 2002
Two journalists have refused to comply with a Bloody Sunday inquiry order to reveal the identities of soldiers who were interviewed for a series of reports about the shootings.  Channel Four presenter Alex Thomson and former producer Lena Ferguson were told on Thursday by the inquiry chairman they would be in contempt of court unless they made the names available.  (BBC)

Wednesday 8 May 2002
Ian Paisley has attended the Bloody Sunday Inquiry after he was warned he would be reported for contempt of court if he ignored an order to appear on Wednesday.  The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland was due to attend the inquiry 24 hours earlier, but sent a legal representative instead. (BBC)

Tuesday 28 May 2002
Northern Ireland's prime minister in 1972 did not believe Army claims they had shot dead terrorists on Bloody Sunday, his former principal private secretary has said.  Dr Robert Ramsay made the comments when giving evidence to the Bloody Sunday inquiry at Londonderry's Guildhall on Tuesday.  Dr Ramsay said Brian Faulkner had questioned the Army version of events.  "When were a dozen gunmen ever killed in a crowd situation, and with no civilian casualties?" Mr Faulkner was said to have asked. (BBC)
The mother of a teenager shot dead by two soldiers is to ask the Northern Ireland secretary to intervene in the campaign to have them dismissed from the Army.  Jean McBride, whose son Peter was killed in Belfast 10 years ago, will meet John Reid at Stormont on Tuesday.  Mark Wright and James Fisher were jailed for life for the murder of Peter McBride in the New Lodge in 1992 and after serving three years, the soldiers were released and reinstated in the Scots Guards.   The secretary of state has expressed sympathy for the family of murdered Belfast teenager Peter McBride.  Following a meeting with Mr McBride's mother Jean on Tuesday, John Reid said he was also expressing the sympathy of the British Government.(BBC)
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled the government breached the rights of a Northern Ireland man killed during a riot.  Dermot McShane died after an armoured Army vehicle drove into hoardings he was sheltering behind during disturbances in Londonderry in 1996.  His American widow Treasa was awarded £8,000 by the judges on Tuesday.  The judges also criticised the fact that the soldier who drove the vehicle which fatally injured Mr McShane could not be ordered to give evidence at his inquest.  "The court therefore held that there had been a violation of Article 2 concerning the lack of an effective investigation into Mr McShane's death," said the judges.(BBC)
Vandals have attacked the grave of murdered Catholic postal worker Daniel McColgan.  The headstone of the grave at Carnmoney Cemetery was completely destroyed in the attack.  Mr McColgan, 20, was shot dead as he arrived for work at a postal depot in the loyalist Rathcoole estate on the outskirts of north Belfast on 12 January.(BBC)

June 2002

Monday 10 June 2002
An investigation into six controversial killings in Northern Ireland could take two years, the man heading the inquiry has said.  Mr Justice Peter Cory will probe allegations of collusion in several cases, including the deaths of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson and Billy Wright.  The 76-year-old former Canadian supreme court judge was appointed by the British and Irish Governments last month.  Speaking at Stormont's Castle Buildings on Monday, he said the investigation would not lead to any prosecutions.(BBC)

Tuesday 11 June 2002
An award-winning BBC journalist has repeated his refusal to reveal his sources to the Bloody Sunday inquiry.  Peter Taylor, who has made several programmes for ITN and BBC on the Northern Ireland Troubles, including a 1992 documentary on Bloody Sunday, has refused to reveal several republican, British Army and police sources.  (BBC)

Wednesday 19 June 2002
The government is facing fresh calls for an independent review into the murder of Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane.  It follows revelations in a BBC Panorama programme 'A Licence to Murder' which said elements within Northern Ireland's police and military intelligence collaborated with loyalist paramilitaries in the late 1980s over the murder of Catholics. (BBC)

Monday 24 June 2002
Earlier, the Relatives for Justice Group gathered in Belfast to demand an outside investigation into the Panorama allegations.  The group, based in west Belfast, is mostly made up of nationalists whose relatives have been killed by the security forces in disputed circumstances.  Group spokesman Mark Thompson said lives had been devastated by the actions of the security services and that responsibility lay "squarely with the British Government".(BBC)
An independent inquiry into controversial killings in Northern Ireland will depend on the findings of an international judge who is currently examining six cases, Secretary of State John Reid has said.  Dr Reid's comments followed a call by a victims' group for an independent judicial inquiry into more than 100 killings by loyalist paramilitaries.  The call came after the second part of a BBC Panorama programme alleging collusion between the security services and loyalists was broadcast over the weekend.  Speaking on Monday, John Reid said he would await the outcome of the inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by Canadian Judge Justice Peter Cory.(BBC)

Wednesday 26 June 2002
Representatives of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission have inspected an IRA memorial in County Fermanagh. They also met representatives of victims of violence in the area on Wednesday to discuss whether there are human rights implications in the siting of the memorial, which is in Belleek. The memorial was put up three months ago (16 March 2002) and caused outrage among the relatives of two Protestant workmen who were murdered by republicans in Belleek in 1998. (BBC)

July 2002

Tuesday 16 July 2002
IRA Statement of Apology
The IRA has apologised to the civilian victims of its campaign of violence in a statement marking the anniversary of one of Northern Ireland's worst atrocities. In a statement in the republican newspaper An Phoblacht (Republican News), it said it offered "sincere apologies" to the families of those killed on Bloody Friday.   Nine people were killed when 21 bombs exploded across Belfast on 21 July 1972.   And in an unprecedented move the IRA apologises and offers its condolences to families of all the civilians who died as a result of its campaign of violence.   The IRA used the term "non-combatants" in the statement, to mean those who are not members of any paramilitary organisation, members of the police, Army or anyone connected with the security forces.   Republican sources have described the apology as "very significant and far reaching". (BBC)
Families of the Omagh bomb victims have had a meeting with the senior police officer in charge of investigating events surrounding the Real IRA atrocity.   Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter, along with Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kincaid, met relatives on Tuesday evening, nearly four years on since the bombing, which killed 29 people in August 1998.   It was the relatives' first meeting with the new investigating team.   The two-hour meeting included a presentation on the lines of investigation the police are following, given by the new head of the inquiry, DCS Baxter.(BBC)

Friday 19 July 2002Republicans have said they are to take down a memorial was erected in County Fermanagh in memory of three dead IRA. They said the decision followed representations from the families of two men murdered by the IRA close to where the republican memorial is sited in Belleek. The memorial was put up five months ago but caused outrage among the relatives of two Protestant workmen who were murdered by republicans in Belleek in 1998. William Hassard and Frederick Love had been carrying out work at Belleek RUC Station when they were shot at Slater's Crossroads near the village.

Friday 26 July 2002
Solicitors acting for the Omagh bombing relatives have been to a prison in the Republic of Ireland to serve writs on three men they accuse of involvement in the Real IRA atrocity.   Earlier on Friday, writs were left at the homes near Dundalk in County Louth of two other men alleged to have been involved in the 1998 attack.   The action is being taken on behalf of the Omagh Victims Legal Trust and is the first step in a civil case against the five men.(BBC)

Monday 29 July 2002
A thousand people have attended a vigil on the outskirts of north Belfast in memory of a County Antrim teenager shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries.   It followed a service for victims of violence which marked the first anniversary of the sectarian shooting of Gavin Brett.   The 18-year-old Protestant was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association in Glengormley on 29 July last year as he stood chatting to a group of friends.

August 2002

Sunday 25 August 2002
A memorial dedicated to eight soldiers killed in County Tyrone has been destroyed in an arson attack.   The monument, in memory of the men who died when their bus was blown up on the Omagh to Ballygawley road in August 1988, was attacked on Sunday.   The soldiers from the Light Infantry were returning to their base in Omagh when a bomb exploded under their bus near the village of Beragh.   Another 19 people were injured in the blast. (BBC)

Monday 26 August 2002
Victims of the Omagh bombing want a change in the procedures used when lawyers decide compensation pay outs.   The demand was made after some of those making claims were asked to strip down to their underwear to show their injuries to a legal panel. (BBC)

Thursday 29 August 2009
Relatives of men killed in an IRA bomb 10 years ago have held talks with Northern Ireland's victims' minister to ask why no-one has been convicted of the atrocity.  Victims' Minister Des Browne travelled to Teebane on Thursday to meet relatives of the victims and to visit the memorial dedicated to those who died.   Mr Browne said he was grateful to the families for sharing their thoughts with him and said their case had not been forgotten.

September 2002

Thursday 5 September 2002
Justice Minister Des Browne has ordered that lawyers representing the Compensation Agency should not look at victims' scars while a review of the practice is being conducted.   The review, which will be carried out by a law professor, was triggered by complaints from two women injured during the Omagh bombing.   They said they had been distressed at being asked to expose their scars in front of a number of lawyers. (BBC)

Tuesday 24 September 2002
The Bloody Sunday Inquiry has moved to London for the first time and is hearing evidence from former British army soldiers.  It is expected about 300 military witnesses will testify at the Methodist Hall in Westminster, following almost two years of mostly civilian evidence heard in Londonderry. (BBC)

Thursday 26 September 2002
The Parades Commission has upheld its decision to allow a UVF march to pass through Belfast city centre on Friday night.  The parade has been organised by a group called the Great Wars Historical and Cultural Society.  The organisers have said the parade, which is to start in the Upper Shankill area and end at the Ulster Hall in the city centre, is a historical event to commemorate the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force.  The organisers, who include Progressive Unionist Party politicians, have described the event as a "colourful pageant" to mark their ninetieth anniversary.


Monday 30 September 2002
A retired Army brigadier has apologised for saying that some of the victims of Bloody Sunday in Londonderry were "wanted men".  Brigadier Maurice Tugwell told the BBC on the evening of Bloody Sunday - 30 January 1972 - that four of the men shot dead were on a wanted list.  However, in a statement to the Saville inquiry, Brigadier Tugwell said that allegation was a "mistake" and he apologised for the error. (BBC)

October 2002

Wednesday 23 October 2002
The publication of the report into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has been delayed for a second time.  Mr Finucane, a high-profile Catholic solicitor, was shot dead by the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association in front of his family at his home in 1989.  Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said on Wednesday he hoped the report would be finalised and delivered before the spring of next year.  The Stevens Inquiry was to have been completed in the summer but was initially postponed until the beginning of November.  Sir John said: "It is important that these matters are pursued and I'm determined that this report will be absolutely thorough.(BBC)

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry has been hearing details of payments made to a former member of the Parachute Regiment to give evidence to the tribunal.  Soldier 027 had threatened to walk away from the tribunal if his financial demands were not met.  However, he said he only did this because he was anxious and frightened and had to secure a future for his family after the inquiry finished.  The tribunal is investigating the events of 30 January 1972 when soldiers of the Parachute Regiment fired on civilians at a civil rights march in Londonderry, killing 13 men and boys. Another man died later.  Under the package, Soldier 027 has received £20,000 for a deposit on a new house and £1,400 a month in lieu of wages, £6,000 to buy a car and £100 a month for life cover over the past two years.  The deal ends after his evidence to the inquiry is completed. (BBC)

Tuesday 29 October 2002
A former army commander in Northern Ireland has told the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that he suggested shooting some rioters in order to restore law and order in Londonderry.  General Sir Robert Ford wrote a memo shortly before Bloody Sunday in Londonderry which said some rioters might have to be shot to restore law and order in the city.  However, he told the inquiry on Tuesday that it was just an initial idea which would have needed government clearance to be carried out. (BBC)

November 2002

December 2002

Sunday 1 December 2002
The Justice for the Forgotten organisation has held a memorial service in Dublin to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1972 Dublin bombings.  A wreath was laid at Sackville Place, the scene of one of two attacks, in which two bus company employees were killed and scores of other people injured.  The bombs went off shortly before the Dail debated legislation aimed at securing a conviction of IRA membership on the sworn testimony of a Garda superintendent.  The Dublin bomb of January 1973, in which one person died, was also commemorated. (BBC)

Tuesday 3 December 2002
The government is expected to contact the Bloody Sunday Inquiry after claims that it has suppressed documents about the former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath.  The family of one of the Bloody Sunday dead wants to know why it took the Cabinet Office four and a half years to hand over the papers.  Lord Gifford, representing the family of Jim Wray, wants the Saville Inquiry to call the government to appear before the tribunal next week to address the matter. On Tuesday, the family of Mr Wray accused the government of suppressing these documents.  But within hours, the tribunal gave some of the papers to the family's legal team at Central Hall.  And the inquiry said it was unfair to suggest the government had suppressed the documents as it had received them early last month.  But Lord Gifford said if there was not suppression then the government was "reluctant" to hand over the documents as it had taken four and a half years to get them.(BBC)

3 January 2002
An article in the Irish News highlights the start of Peace II in 2002, which will provide more than £500 million in European funding for projects and groups involved in Peace and reconciliation over the next five years (See related dates about PEACE II).   (B.H.)

6 January 2002
Relatives of 10 Protestant workmen murdered by the IRA in South Armagh remember their relatives on the 26th anniversary of the massacre by the laying of floral tributes and through a roadside ceremony at the site at Kingsmill.   (B.H.)

9 January 2002
The inquest into the death of Pearse Jordan an unarmed IRA man shot dead by police on November 25, 1992 starts.   (B.H.)

12 January 2002
Catholic postal worker, Daniel McColgan, is murdered by loyalists at the Barna Square postal sorting office in Rathcoole (see related entries on 12 January 2002, 14 January 2002 ,15 January 2002, 18 January 2002).   (B.H.)

14 January 2002
It is reported that floral tributes laid at the spot where postal worker Daniel McColgan was murdered are vandalised less than 24 hours after the killing (see related entries on 12 January 2002, 14 January 2002 ,15 January 2002, 18 January 2002).   (B.H.)

15 January 2002
It is announced that thousands of postal workers in Belfast are to stage a 24-hour stoppage to mark the funeral of murdered Catholic colleague Daniel McColgan. At midday, 300,000 postal workers in Britain and Northern Ireland also observe a two-minute silence (see related entries on 12 January 2002, 14 January 2002 ,15 January 2002, 18 January 2002).   (B.H.)

16 January 2002
It is announced by Bairbre de Brun, Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, that an additional £104,000 will be made available to the North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust for services to assist those suffering from the traumatic events in North Belfast. On the same day, new statistics show that of 99 murders by paramilitaries since the start of 1998 and that there has only been one conviction. The figures quoted in the Irish News come from Lost Lives author, Brian Feeney - the official police statistics claim that there have been 79 people killed by paramilitaries in this time period. Additionally today, it is announced that Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, is to meet with the Irish judge heading the investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings which killed 33 people. The meeting comes after pressure from bereaved relatives and victims and the group, Justice for the Forgotten, asking for the British authorities to hand over security documents related to the bombings.   (B.H.)

17 January 2002
The 10th Anniversary of the Teebane massacre in which eight protestant workmen were killed and six were seriously injured when a bomb was detonated underneath their van as they returned from working at the Lisanelly barracks in Omagh. A short service is conducted and floral tributes laid by relatives at the scene of the murders.   (B.H.)

18 January 2002
Rallies across Northern Ireland organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions see thousands stop work as a mass gesture of opposition to the murder of postman Daniel McColgan (see related entries on 12 January 2002, 14 January 2002 ,15 January 2002, 18 January 2002). On the same day, the families of Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane reject proposals to appoint international judges to investigate the killings, claiming it was a stalling device to prevent the truth being told. Additionally, Relatives for Justice, a group representing the victims of State violence, presented Richard Haass, US Special Envoy, with documents containing information related to human rights, allegations of Special Branch collusion, plastic bullets and outstanding policing issues.   (B.H.)

20 January 2002
A tribute to the Colours of the (Co Down) 3rd Battalion of the UDR took place in the Killinchy Presbyterian Church. The names of the 20 UDR soldiers from the Battalion and 1 RIR soldier who died in the Troubles were read out at the ceremony.   (B.H.)

21 January 2002
Secretary of State, John Reid and the Northern Ireland Office are accused by the father of murdered Loyalist, Billy Wright, of failing to answer questions over the death of his son in the Maze prison in 1997. Also today a call is made by First Minister, David Trimble, in the Assembly for the police to open their records to show which murders have been resolved and which remain unsolved.   (B.H.)

22 January 2002
Thomas Green, who served a 13-year sentence, was cleared of the sectarian murder of Catholic painter, John O'Neill. Mr Green was freed under the Good Friday agreement, but always maintained his innocence.   (B.H.)

23 January 2002
Security Minister, Jane Kennedy, visits Newtownstewart to discuss the security concerns of victims group West Tyrone Voice and affirms their "important role in helping to address the very real needs of people who live with the tragic legacy of violence". On the same day, plans to hold a Holocaust Ceremony are announced by First Minister David Trimble (see related entries on 23 January 2002; 27 January 2002).   (B.H.)

24 January 2002
A report by the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust and the Institute for Conflict Research, is launched focusing on the Real Programme. The report details research into the achievements of support, carried out by the Workers Educational Association, to victims groups assisting those bereaved or injured in the Troubles. The report highlights the need for long term and sustainable provision, also looking at staff training, stress management, principles and ethics and the impact of the political environment. The report is launched by Mr Dermott Nesbitt, MLA, Minister in OFMDFM, who takes the opportunity to reiterate that the goverment will be launching a victims strategy in March. He also says that the European Programme for Peace and Reconciliation contains specific measures for victims and that £6.67 will be made available, of which £1.67 million will come from the Executive.   (B.H.)

27 January 2002
Security Minister, Jane Kennedy, represents the Government at Northern Ireland's first Holocaust Memorial Day. She joins First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan, and representatives of Northern Ireland's Jewish community and other invited guests, at the Waterfront Hall to remember victims of the Holocaust and other acts of genocide (see related entries on 23 January 2002; 27 January 2002).   (B.H.)

28 January 2002
A memorial garden in the military headquarters in Thiepval barracks in Lisburn dedicated to the 20 British Army bomb disposal experts killed in the line of duty in Northern Ireland is opened.   (B.H.)

31 January 2002
The Director of Public Prosecutions is challenged as to why no prosecutions have been undertaken in the cases of nine people killed by the security forces in Derry. The families of these victims announce that they intend to pursue their action in the European Court of Human Rights.  (B.H.)

1 February 2002
The directors of the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund Board, which gives financial support to victims of the Troubles, appointed a new chairman Dennis Licence (managing director of the First Trust Bank) to the charity. On the same day, an article in the News Letter highlights the change in style in loyalist murals from a strongly militaristic approach to a memorial style. Giving the example of a mural on the Newtownards road that is a memorial to those who lost their lives in republican atrocities during the Troubles.   (B.H.)

4 February 2002
The inquest into the death of Pearse Jordan, the last man to be shot dead by the RUC, is postponed until March 5 (See related entries 4 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002). Also DUP MLA, Sammy Wilson, claims more than £5 million has been spent, more than twice the cost of the originally allocated budgets, investigating the murders of Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane . Additionally, Sinn Féin members gather at the party offices on the Falls Road to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the shooting of three men in the offices. A plaque was unveiled to commemorate the deaths of Sinn Féin members Paddy Loughran, Pat McBride, and Michael Dwyer.   (B.H.)

5 February 2002
Flowers are laid at Sean Grahams bookmakers to mark the 10th anniversary of the deaths of five Roman Catholics who died when two UFF gunmen fired indiscriminately at customers and staff. A new memorial was erected to their memory. On the same day, a memorial service is held in New Lodge to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the killing of six Catholic men outside Lynch's Bar in New Lodge on February 3rd 1973.   (B.H.)

6 February 2002
A decision on whether to grant the facilities of Newtownhamilton Community Association to the victims group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives is deferred for one week (See related dates 6 February 2002 ; 21 February 2002 ; 22 February 2002). The council has objected to the highly politicised profile of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives and says it is contrary to the councils stated objective to be "non-political". Additionally the family of a Derry man shot dead by the British army 26 years ago have demanded to know if the soldier who shot him, Corporal David Walter Scott, served his full five year prison sentence. The family believe he may have been released early.   (B.H.)

10 February 2002
Vandals steal wreaths from the site of the 1992 bookmakers murders on the Ormeau Road.   (B.H.)

11 February 2002
The widow of Pat Finucane accuses the British and Irish governments of delaying tactics in appointing an international judge to investigate the murder of her husband (See related dates 12 February 1999 ;19 March 1999 ;24 February 2000 ;28 May 2001 ;1 August 2001 ; 11 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002)..   (B.H.)

12 February 2002
Strangford, MP Iris Robinson, launches a campaign calling for a public inquiry into the bombing of the La Mon House Hotel. The 24th anniversary of the bombing is on the 17 February. On the same day, a leading US human rights group - The Lawyers Commission for Human Rights (LCHR) - reject British Government plans to appoint an international judge to investigate the killing of Pat Finucane. Today is the 13th anniversary of the death of the Belfast solicitor and the group claim that the planned appointment could prevent the truth from emerging for years to come. The calls for an independent inquiry also received a setback when the police announce the Stevens Inquiry into the death may last another 12 months with the addition of the news that Ken Barrett, a loyalist alleged to have taken part in the murder, has agreed to co-operate with the Inquiry. Mr Barrett fled Northern Ireland after the murder of William Stobie and was taken into protective custody by the Stevens team (See related dates 12 February 1999 ;19 March 1999 ;24 February 2000 ;28 May 2001 ;1 August 2001 ; 11 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002). Also Relatives for Justice launch their strategic plan "Tarraingt Le Cheile - Providing Support". The plan aims to extend and develop a range of programs, including drop-in facilities, outreach and befriending to complementary therapies and counselling. Additionally today, the coroner for Greater Belfast John Leckey confirms that 160 police witness statements on the murder of Pearse Jordan, the last man to be shot dead by the RUC, had not been disclosed to the inquest (See related entries 4 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002).   (B.H.)

13 February 2002
Councillors in North Down agree to set aside funds to erect a memorial to the former Ulster Special Constabulary, including the B Specials. It will be placed alongside current memorials to the RUC and UDR. Only the Alliance Party councillors vote against the decision. On the same day, solicitors Madden and Finucane call for the release of the witness statements into the murder of Pearse Jordan claiming that the failure to release them calls into question the fairness of the inquest (See related entries 4 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002). Additionally Tony Blair, in prime minister's question time, calls for the paramilitary organisations to allow those exiled from Northern Ireland to be allowed to return in peace. Also today, detectives investigating the murder of William Stobie seize a number of items for forensic examination (See related dates 12 February 1999 ;19 March 1999 ;24 February 2000 ;28 May 2001 ;1 August 2001 ; 11 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002).   (B.H.)

14 February 2002
The Alliance Party tries to gain support for a motion in the Assembly demanding that loyalist and republican paramilitaries lift threats imposed on exiles and allow them to return to Northern Ireland. Also today, Families Acting for Innocent Relatives accuse the government of paying lip service to victims needs and says that the funding is not reaching the people in need. His comments come after receiving a letter from the governments Victims Liason's Unit which acknowledged the difficulties to victims and their families of providing an amnesty for terrorists, but questioned the sense in “remorselessly and indefinitely pursuing the cases.   (B.H.)

17 February 2002
The 24th Anniversary of the bombing of the La Mon House Hotel.   (B.H.)

18 February 2002
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern meet to discuss issues between the two countries. They discuss a shortlist of possible judges who could be appointed to investigate six high profile murders in Northern Ireland. Amongst those murders are those of lawyers Pat Finucane (See related dates 12 February 1999 ;19 March 1999 ;24 February 2000 ;28 May 2001 ;1 August 2001 ; 11 February 2002 ; 12 February 2002 ; 13 February 2002 ; 18 February 2002) and Rosemary Nelson (See related dates of 15 March 1999 ;20 February 2001 ;28 May 2001 ;1 August 2001 ; 18 February 2002) also those of Maze prisoner Billy Wright and Portadown teenager Robert Hamill.   (B.H.)

19 February 2002
The Irish News reports on beliefs that dissident republicans planned to attack security forces in Coalisland to mark the 10th anniversary of the deaths of four IRA men killed in an SAS ambush. A rocket launcher and primed warhead were found at the scene and four men were arrested and questioned by police.   (B.H.)

20 February 2002
Victim Support Northern Ireland launch a report entitled "Criminal Neglect: No Justice Beyond Criminal Justice" in which they claim the wider needs of crime victims in the areas of housing, healthcare and financial support have been neglected despite 25 years of improvements in the criminal justice system.   (B.H.)

21 February 2002
Newry and Mourne District Council turn down an application by victims' group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives to use Newtownhamilton community centre for their outreach meetings. Unionist MLA, Danny Kennedy, says it is evidence of discrimination against the unionist minority in Newtownhamilton (See related dates 6 February 2002 ; 21 February 2002 ; 22 February 2002). Sinn Féin councillor Brendan Lewis says the main grounds for rejecting the group were that "while it is a victims group it is a victims group that discriminates". On the same day, the colours of the 8th (Co Tyrone) Battalion of the UDR are laid up in a service in St Annes Parish Church, Dungannon. During the service a roll of honour is read naming the 34 soldiers of the battallion, one soldier from the RIR and seven former members killed by the IRA during the Troubles. Also on this day, the Lisburn Partnership hold a consultation day aimed at informing peace groups and community organisations how they can benefit from Peace II funding (See related dates about PEACE II).   (B.H.)

22 February 2002
Families Acting for Innocent Relatives says it is planning to take legal action against Newry and Mourne District Councillors after they rejected an application for the group to use the Newtownhamilton community centre (See related dates 6 February 2002 ; 21 February 2002 ; 22 February 2002). Also on this day, a ceremony is conducted to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Official IRA bombing of Aldershot British army base. Seven people were killed in the car bomb attack on 22 February 1972.   (B.H.)

25 February 2002
University of Ulster researchers, Marie Smyth and Mike Morrisey, laucnh a book examining the plight of victims in Northern Ireland. The book entitled "Northern Ireland After the Good Friday Agreement" is published by Pluto Press, London. Also today, Secretary of State, John Reid, announces in the House if Commons that Northern Ireland's prison officers are to be rewarded for their service during the Troubles with a medal granted by Royal Warrant. Twenty nine prison officers were killed during the Troubles.  (B.H.)

27 February 2002
The widow of IRA victim Garda Jerry McCabe accuses Sinn Féin of hypocrisy after Caoimhghin O'Caolin the party's only Dail deputy said he would not urge the public to help investigators track the killers.   (B.H.)

28 February 2002
A man is arrested in connection with the murders of two teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine from Portadown, stabbed to death on 18 February 2000.   (B.H.)

Notes
Information contained within square brackets [   ] may contain commentary or information that only became publicly available at a later date. Any piece of information which is followed by a question mark in parenthesis (?) is a best estimate while awaiting an update.

See also:
The main CAIN chronology of the conflict
The Sutton Index of Deaths 1969-2001