Libya again
In the wake of the compassionate release of the Lockerbie bomber we have heard more about the campaign by IRA victims to persuade Colonel Gaddaffi to pay compensation because of his supply of semtex and other weaponry to the Provisionals. Colin Parry voiced his support this morning, whilst not sounding optimistic about the chances of success. Jeffrey Donaldson hopes to travel to Tripoli - previously Nigel Dodds and the Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay have talked of being part of such a delegation.
Perhaps given the latest moves towards normalising relations with Libya they may stand some chance of success. But I can't help thinking that it has been not only the government but also our local politicians who have been slow off the mark on this one.
Six years ago I wrote about the failure of the government and politicians to pursue such compensation during the 1990s - a time when unionists enjoyed more pulling power with both Washington and London because they hadn't signed on the bottom line with the Good Friday Agreement.
In contrast to the stance of the French and US authorities, Britain settled for detailed information from Libyan intelligence officials about the millions of pounds in cash and 120 tonnes of weaponry which Tripoli had given the IRA.
Have the politicians left it too late to ask for more?
UPDATE: I see that Willie Fraser whose FAIR group is trying to bring a legal action against Libya has insisted that "momentum is growing" as three legal firms have offered to represent them, and taken Colin Parry to task for his pessimism about their chances of success.
I'm 
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Mark,
When will people like Jeffrey Donaldson and Willie Frazer realise that Libya are not going to pay them a penny. It is nothing more than a PR stunt to even go looking for money. The last laugh on Jeffrey has to be him repeating some stories in Sunday Newspapers about weaponry that dissidents had brought in. Then Sir Hugh Orde dismisses the speculation and Jeffrey has nothing.
With regards to Willie Frazer when was the last time he condemned any violence that has been inflicted on the Nationalist community. If he was more open minded in his opinions he may gain some respect but at the minute I seen him a PR man and a trouble maker.
Stormontspy
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