on seven Irish people charged with conspiracy over the 'seaside bomb' campaign the Brighton bombing has already been given you were to believe what read in the newspapers.
The Mirror described how the 'IRA planned to kill and maim British families by bombing seaside hotels in the height of the holiday season rce busted the biggest IRA cell ever found a diary of death'. → tter WCIC arrested in the Sussex area ine reponca as lal as we are aware the active service unit was arrested and de. tained in its entirity. All truce were suoseyuchuly released without charge.
Prejudicial can only follow where the all arcc lolally the information available on those arrested under the Prevention OI Terrorism Act who are being held incommunicado. more than 20 people arrested in a wave of press hysteria over the summer conspiracy only a handful de vene Drought to trai Last July, the television news revealed the intention of the campaign when blatently racist police were shown questioning hotel owners about whether they had any Irish people working for them, any Irish heard any Irish people discussing ponlics. The seven will not get a fair tnal.
On 6 May, more than Emergency resolution on strip-search Conference notes that on 1 May 1986 the High Court refused to declare the persistant strip-searching or tne iwo Irish women in Brixton prison unlawful. Conference believes that this ruling is tantamount to a legal mandate to continue a practice which doctors, lawyers, civil libertarians, women's groups know to be sexual harrassment involving personal violation akin to Conference requests the National Labour Women's Committee to press release and make our views widely and vociferously known, and to request the party leader 1o do likewise. Conference believes that this ruling makes the calling of a national labour movement. demonsetron ever more ursell. the proposal from Hornsey and Wood Green women's section for such a demonstration to coincide with the 4th anniv of the introduction of strip-searching on 15 .Vovember to be organised jointly with Irish orgs, women's groups, to have high involvement from the TUC and to be led by Labour women and Irish spokespersons and Irish women. A mobilising committee to be immediately set up to organise and mate for to demonstration 50 people were prevented irom demonstrating their support for the Irish They were told DrIsulicis. by an Inspector Meadows that anyone demonstrating in the vicinity of the Old Bailey would be arrested.
Around the court, as in the trial of Maire O'Shea, the intrusive presence sniffer dogs, armed police and restrictions on those allowed to observe the proceedings give the message that really dangerous Again as in the Maire O'Shea trial. there 15 i strong suspicean yhat the flas alicauy been vetted.
For defendants, daily harassment prevents a normal preparation for the trial, discussions with lawyers, etc. The most barbaric treatment has been reserved for the women on trial Ella O'Dwyer Martina Anderson. Since their arrest, both have been sublect to humiliation, constant sexual harassment through strip-searching, cell changes, denial of sleep and exercise restrictions.
Conspiracy charges themselves carry a guilt by association. The mass trial common enough in Belfast gives added weight to the conspiracy. Already newspapers talk of the Brighton bombing trial, even though only one ot the taces any charges in relation to that.
These defendants do not face a fair trial, the only just solution would be to drop the charges altogether.
Conference supports