Sir, – Since his murder six years ago this month, my family have had to tolerate many untrue, misleading and distressing publications about my late father Denis Donaldson. However, French journalist Sorj Chalandon is the first novelist to commercially exploit his acquaintance with my late father (An Irishman’s Diary, March 26th Letters April 9th) as a marketing ploy for a book of fiction.
In fact, the true story of my father’s murder and my family’s ordeal is still being written. Central to that narrative is the role played by senior members of RUC/PSNI Special Branch in the circumstances surrounding Denis’s murder.
In particular, attention has been drawn to the activities of a person known as “Lenny”, the Special Branch handler who maintained communication with Denis until his murder. “Lenny” knew where Denis had fled, and holds vital information about his earlier exposure and subsequent murder. As revealed recently in a BBC Spotlight documentary (November 2011), “Lenny” remained a senior serving member of the PSNI until last year. “Lenny” and his associates must be required to disclose their full knowledge about Denis’s murder legacy.
Since November 2007, the Garda Síochána has vigorously opposed the commencement of inquest proceedings into Denis’s murder on grounds that it has a live investigation underway. Such claims stretch credulity amidst many unanswered questions about the independence and effectiveness of this Garda investigation. Information is being withheld from the family on alleged grounds of state security. It is more than three years since investigating gardaí met our family to even provide an update. Requests since then by our family solicitors, Madden Finucane, to meet gardaí have proven unsuccessful.
Legal submissions to the coroner on behalf of the Donaldson family have invoked Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights as the only proper basis for proceeding with the inquest.
The Joint All-Ireland Committee of both Human Rights Commissions last year formally expressed support for the family’s reasonable and rightful request that the inquest should proceed in compliance with the standards set in the European Court of Human Rights. The matter has been raised directly with the Minister for Justice by Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams TD, and in the Seanad by Senator Mary White. Former police ombudsman Dame Nuala O’Loan, who is well-informed of the background to this case, recently described the circumstances of Denis’s murder as “grave and exceptional”.
The coroner is due to convene a further pre-inquest hearing later this month. It is my family’s sincere hope that we shall be permitted to proceed unhindered with an Article 2-compliant inquest of the standard required to ensure disclosure from state agencies, North and South, of all the facts surrounding the murder of Denis Donaldson. – Yours, etc,