Ulster Unionist Party member on the Policing Board Ross Hussey MLA has called on Gerry Adams to at last recognise and show appreciation for the actions of an off-duty UDR soldier, a police officer and two other soldiers who gave chase and successfully caught UFF gunmen who had only moments before attempted to murder the Sinn Fein leader.   Ross Hussey was speaking after the Police Ombudsman, Dr Michael Maguire, found no evidence of police involvement in the UFF gun attack in Belfast city centre on 14 March 1984.

The West Tyrone MLA said;

“Gerry Adams has previously claimed that security forces either had prior knowledge of, or had been involved in, what happened in Belfast City Centre that day. However it was clear to anyone who listened to his allegations that they had very little foundation and I welcome the confirmation from the Police Ombudsman that instead of being somehow involved in the crime, the members of the security forces actually risked their own lives by giving chase to the UFF terrorists.

“Whilst it may be difficult for Gerry Adams to accept that security forces captured the gunmen, he needs to understand that during the troubles security forces regularly put themselves in danger to protect others. As a previous member of the RUC Reserve my attitude then was to consider all terrorists, whether loyalist or republican, in the same light. No one should ever have been allowed to think they could take up arms and determine who was allowed to live or die.

“Northern Ireland was in a very dark place in 1984 and I remember at the time hearing of the actions of the security forces and how they had captured the UFF attempted killers. That demonstrated the value of law and order which the members of security forces upheld.  

“It is hugely regrettable that instead of showing gratitude, or indeed any grace at all, Gerry Adams and other senior republicans questioned the fact that a number of off-duty security personnel were in the vicinity at the time of the attack. I would like to remind the Sinn Fein leader that in 1984 he was apologist for the actions of the IRA, which included regular shootings and bomb attacks in Belfast.

"I hope the Sinn Fein President will now be able to show some graciousness and accept that there was no security force involvement in the attack and in fact a policeman and three soldiers, some using their own personal protection weapons which they had to defend themselves from the IRA, risked their own safety to capture the UFF gunmen.”