SF reaction to ‘Slab’ Murphy trial part of ‘persecution complex’

Sinn Féin's reaction to the trial of prominent republican Thomas 'Slab' Murphy over tax offences taking place at the non-jury Special Criminal Court is in keeping with the party's "persecution complex", Minister for Communications Alex White has said.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams questioned the fact that Murphy was not tried before a jury of his peers following his conviction on Friday.

Murphy (66), from Hackballscross in Co Louth, was found guilty by the three-judge Special Criminal Court of failing to furnish tax returns for nearly a decade from 1996. He is to be sentenced early next year.

Mr White said the non-jury court was “not ideal”. Irish people live in a different world now to that of 30 years ago when the Northern Ireland troubles were at their height but the court still remained necessary as a result of witnesses and evidence interference in some trials, he added.

The Minister said the Oireachtas had many times decided the Special Criminal Court was needed and that meant it was “the rule of law”.

The court was initially established to handle cases linked to matters such as terrorism and serious organised crime where there were fears a jury might face intimidation.

“It’s a bit rich to hear Gerry Adams or anyone else criticising decisions of that court, suggesting that it is acting otherwise than fairly to someone because he’s one of their own. And that’s what we’re dealing with here,” Mr White told RTÉ’s News at One.

He said there was no use in a politician who aspired to office in this State such as Mr Adams saying he was opposed to the court because he felt someone he knew had been treated unfairly when convicted by it.

Change of tune

The Minister said the reaction was part of a Sinn Féin “persecution complex” and that the party said it was for upholding the rule of law but change its tune when a case like this comes along.

Mr White said the Director of Prosecutions had made decisions in this case and politicians should be slow to draw these independent decisions into question.

Murphy has been credited with playing a role in bringing republicans in south Armagh around to the idea of the peace process. Mr White said he was pleased the peace process had been a success and recognised Sinn Fein’s contribution to this but insisted nobody should get an alibi or impunity simply because they were involved in something like it.

Earlier, Mr Adams told LMFM radio he had no regrets about calling Murphy a “good republican”.

‘Vigorously contests’

Asked what did he meant by his statement on Murphy, Mr Adams said: “Well essentially it means he is a good republican.

"If as he has done Thomas Murphy vigorously contests these charges then in my view he deserves to be arbitrated on by a jury of his peers."

Mr Adams added: “Do I have to swallow the entire baggage of a State that is dependent on draconian legislation, the Offences Against the State Act or the Special Criminal Court, no I don’t.”

Mr Adams was been heavily criticised for his support of Murphy.

The former minister for justice Alan Shatter said the comments proved Sinn Féin was not fit for government.

Mr Adams said he did not take the criticism of Mr Shatter seriously considering the manner in which he left his cabinet position. He said the Fine Gael TD should know from his career in the law that every citizen is "entitled to a jury of their peers".

Mr Adams also dismissed the comments of Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who the Sinn Féin TD for Louth said would say anything negative to get some publicity.

He also denied Sinn Féin was sending a message that it was in support of tax evasion. He said whether you were a multi-national company or a working citizen you had a duty to pay tax.

However Mr Adams said everyone should be subjected to fair process and to be heard in trial by a jury.