PUBLIC backing from an Irish anti-abortion lobby group for dissident Republican Gerry McGeough has brought a sharp rebuttal from another pro-life organisaiton in Britain this week.
Mr McGeough, who lives in the Brantry, stood as an independent republican candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the recent Assembly elections. He has received backing from the Dublin-based pro-life lobby group, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), in the March edition of the Pro-Life Times.
This has caused a shock for fellow pro-life advocates in Britain, LifeLeague. In a statement yesterday (Wednesday), the London-based anti-abortion group declared, "McGeough was an IRA terrorist, a leading Sinn Féin official and convicted of gun-running. He remains unrepentant to this day about his past. Indeed, he is implacably opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, he was dramatically arrested at the polling station and charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
"His recent arrest is in connection with the shooting of pro-life DUP Dungannon Cllr Sammy Brush, an off-duty UDR reservist, who was shot several times in an ambush in 1981 and barely survived. He (McGeough) edits the Hibernian Magazine and operates his own blog.
"Notwithstanding our continued admiration for our colleagues at SPUC, we do however believe that this recent move on their part was ill-advised and has caused deep hurt amongst many victims of the Northern Ireland Troubles, both Protestant and Catholic," said the LifeLeague statement.
"Whilst lauding McGeough as a pro-life (unless you are English, British or a Protestant, of course) candidate, not once does SPUC utter one word of condemnation about his unrepentant, pro-death, criminal past or his refusal to accept the Good Fridaypeace deal. We suggest that you contact SPUC and politely inform them of the error they have made in granting publicity to McGeough and his, less than convincing, pro-life credentials.
"Ask them to explain why no other anti-abortion candidates in the Northern Ireland elections were given publicity in the March 2007 edition of Pro-Life Times. Ask why they choose to give a helping hand to a cold-blooded, dedicated terrorist and religious bigot. You may wish to ask just how can someone dedicated to the IRA's killing campaign would ever be described by SPUC as 'pro-life'.
"SPUC must now do the right thing and apologise to the victims who have suffered so much at the hands of men like McGeough. Surely this is the least that a leading Christian pro-life group could do."
