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Seoirse MacDomhnaill
Oct 3, 08 - 3:34 AM |
Collusion in Murder of Fian Gerard Gibson?
In a previous posting I spoke of the "Springhill Massacre" on the evening of 9 July 1972 in Ballymurphy when the Parachute Regiment shot dead five innocent and unarmed people. During the same period serious fighting had been raging in Lenadoon. This was precipitated by the British Army forcibly preventing displaced families from taking up residence in vacant units in the Estate. By the morning of 11 July 1972 things had quietened down somewhat in Lenadoon. However, the British Army had saturated and cordoned off the area, and armoured vehicles were patrolling the streets. About 11:00 AM Gerard Gibson (age 16), a member of the "Official" Fianna Eireann, was standing in the garden of a house in Creeslough Park. A British Army armoured vehicle came driving slowly down an adjacent street. Witnesses saw the back door of the armoured vehicle open, and a soldier inside aiming his rifle at Gibson. A single shot rang out, striking Gibson in the head. He fell to the ground, but was still alive. People managed to get him into a private car and headed for the RVH. However, they were stopped and detained at the Andersontown RUC Barracks. Despite the pleas of the occupants that they be allowed to proceed to the hospital, the car, occupants, and even the seriously wounded Gibson were searched in detail. By the time they were allowed to proceed and reached the hospital Gerard Gibson was pronounced dead on arrival. Why did a soldier of the Royal Green Jackets fire a single, well aimed and unprovoked round at Gerard Gibson? Why was his conveyance to hospital stopped, and more importantly detained, even though the RUC could see a grievously wounded youth was inside? There seems only one logical answer. Someone had identified Gerard Gibson to the British Army as a member of Fianna Eireann. Since the rifle shot had not killed him immediately, his conveyance to hospital was detained by the RUC to minimise the chances of his survival. The inquest into his death was a total farce. The British Army denied responsibliity in the face of numerous witnesses who testified to the contrary. An open verdict was returned, and no charges were ever brought. It is disturbing to note the high incidence of Fianna Eireann deaths at this "early" period of the conflict. Could it be they were being actively targeted by Loyalist Paramilitaries, the British Army and RUC? In is interesting to note, though probably unrelated, that Fian Gerard Gibson's unlce, Official IRA Volunteer Edward Brady, mentioned elsewhere in this Forum, was killed in action against the British Army only a couple of days later. |
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