Film showing stories of Troubles victims to be screened in Brussels

Jonathan McCambridge, PA

A film about a number of killings during the Troubles in the North will be shown to of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels on Tuesday.

The film, made by Mobile Media and the Truth and Justice Movement, features eight people who have lost family in a number of atrocities, including the Omagh bomb, the Ballymurphy massacre and Bloody Sunday.

It has already been shown to of the Oireachtas in Dublin, British parliamentarians at Westminster and Britain's Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

Victims campaigner Raymond McCord said the screening was part of a campaign of opposition to the UK government’s controversial plans to deal with the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

The Legacy Bill, which is going through its parliamentary stages, would see a form of immunity offered to those suspected of killings during the conflict if they agree to co-operate with a new truth recovery body.

It would also prohibit future civil cases and inquests related to Troubles crimes.

It has been almost universally opposed by parties across the political divide in Northern Ireland, as well as all victims groups.

Mr McCord, whose son Raymond Jnr was killed by loyalists in 1997, said: “This is the third parliament to show the film following Dublin and London.

“The British government have failed to get any other political party or victims to their justice-denying Bill.

“The British Conservative government is saying this Bill is the way forward for the victims, and that all the victims, political parties, human rights organisations, church leaders and human rights laws are wrong.

“The greatest fear of the British government is the truth.”

Mr Heaton-Harris recently announced amendments had been tabled to the controversial legislation in an attempt to address concerns raised by victims.

One of the changes proposed by the British government would see a proposed new truth recovery body able to conduct criminal investigations “where it judges that to be appropriate”.