NIO accepts liability
Two NIO officials sent to investigate the deaths of
livestock on a South Armagh farm saw at first hand the
anger of local people at British army behaviour when
they visited the area on Wednesday 18 March.
The pair - Derek Woods and Peter Mulholland - were
invited to the farm of Henry McIlroy who lost five ewes
and 11 lambs on Friday 13 March when a British army
helicopter buzzed his South Armagh farm.
Mr McIlroy and a farmer from Louth who also lost
livestock during the incident pointed out to the NIO
officials that the British army version of the
overflight, when a Lynx helicopter flew as far as four
miles across the border, was completely untrue.
The aircraft flew as far south as the outskirts of
Dundalk and overflew Hackballscross which is four miles
across the border.
A spokesperson for the South Armagh Farmers and
Residents group told An Phoblacht that the NIO
officials accepted liability for the deaths of the
livestock when they promised to send Mr McIlroy
compensation forms for the deaths of his animals.
``It's not like accepting responsibility, but by
offering the forms for compensation they are admitting
the helicopter flights played some part in the deaths
of the animals,'' said the spokesperson.
As a result of this latest embarassment to the crown
forces, a campaign of intimidation has been initiated
against the South Armagh group's secretary Toni
Carragher. Carragher was stopped and her vehicle was
searched last Sunday afternoon and during a committee
meeting in her home later that evening a foot patrol of
15 British soldiers and two RUC members arrived
outside, writing down vehicle details and taking
photographs. The RUC members were confronted by
committee members but refused to hand-over the photo
film
Toni has made a formal complaint through her solicitor.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)