Public and press rally to support Breen

'Sunday Tribune' Northern Editor Suzanne has received many accolades for refusing to reveal sources to the PSNI

Mick McCaffrey, Security Editor

Sunday Tribune journalist Suzanne Breen with Tribune solicitor Joe Rice at court on Friday

The Sunday Tribune has received widespread support for its refusal to comply with PSNI demands that its Northern Editor hand over phones, computers, and other material relating to stories on the Real IRA.

Respected journalists, along with victims of paramilitary violence, have backed the newspaper's stance. The PSNI is seeking a court order under the terrorism act to seize the material that Suzanne Breen has refused to give detectives.

The case, which opened on Friday, will resume in Belfast on Tuesday. Breen potentially faces up to five years' imprisonment for not complying. The material relates to the Real IRA's claim of responsibility for murdering two British soldiers at Massereene, and an interview with an army council representative.

Channel 4 News' chief correspondent, Alex Thomson, who was threatened with legal action for not divulging sources to the Bloody Sunday inquiry, said he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Sunday Tribune.

"The danger in such approaches by the state is that the freedom of people to come forward and divulge information to reporters on the condition of anonymity is damaged," he said. "It might be the Real IRA this week – but, next week, it could be a nurse, school teacher or soldier disclosing grave wrong-doing at real risk to their career or safety."

The Sunday Times' Liam Clarke described the PSNI's action as "a cruel, expensive farce". He said if Breen complied, her life would be in danger and she would have to leave Northern Ireland.

Clarke criticised the PSNI chief constable: "If Hugh Orde wants to go to his new job as president of the Association of Chief Constables as the man who rolled back press freedom and jailed the mother of a young child for refusing to put her life on the line and ruin her career for him, then he is welcome to tilt at the windmill. But I doubt the courts will join him."

Last Friday, Orde's barrister, Tony McGleenan, asked that the PSNI's application be heard in closed session. The public, press, Breen, and her lawyers were cleared from the court.

Judge Tom Burgess said the PSNI's application was like "the Grand National course" and he would rule on Tuesday whether it had passed "the first hurdle". If so, Burgess will then set a date for a hearing where the Sunday Tribune can present its arguments. The newspaper's barrister Peter Girvan, instructed by solicitor Joe Rice, said the PSNI's application would be "vigorously opposed".

The PSNI letter demanding Breen's material came from Detective Chief Supt Derek Williamson, who is leading the Massereene investigation. Sunday World journalist Hugh Jordan said: "He seems to have got the wrong end of the stick. Suzanne Breen isn't his enemy. She was simply doing her job. Derek Williamson should wise-up."

According to the editor of the Belfast Telegraph, Martin Lindsay, "Ms Breen is upholding a valued journalistic tradition, where sources of information are regarded as sacrosanct, and deserves support for her stance."

The Daily Mirror's Northern Ireland editor Gerry Millar said: "If this case is lost, it will endanger every journalist seeking to do their job. Society will lose out."

Willie Frazer of IRA victims' group Fair said that although the people he represents suffered at the hands of republican terrorists, he fully supports Breen's stance. "It isn't up to her to do the police's job. The PSNI should get off their backsides and chase terrorists, not harass journalists. Is their intelligence so bad they want journalists to tell them what's happening?"

Writing in Index on Censorship, ex-IRA prisoner and author Anthony McIntyre, said: "Journalists who ask the most difficult questions are those who receive the most hassle from the state and its security apparatus."

Ex-IRA informer Marty McGartland said the Sunday Tribune should be praised, "not treated like criminals", for putting the Real IRA's plans into the public domain.

Last week, Breen wrote of how the UDA had boasted to her in 1993 about murdering Catholic father-of-six, Mickey Edwards, as he slept – yet she had never been contacted by police over that.

Edwards' young children had run into the bedroom, begging him not to die. Last week, Edwards's son Michael contacted the Sunday Tribune to support Breen.

In a moving statement, he said that even if Breen knew the names of those who murdered his father, he didn't expect her to reveal them: "I commend the bravery of Suzanne Breen to interview loyalists at a time when they made no distinction between killing Catholic men or women. It's dangerous enough reporting in the North without unnecessary police actions."

May 10, 2009

Comments

#1 Mark McGregor commented, on May 10, 2009 at 7:18 p.m.:

Sadly typical of the farce masquerading as a democratic society that is the north of Ireland where polticians and the police force seem to operate in tandem to attack legitimate journalistic endeavour. Best of luck to Breen, stick with her Tribune and feck the begrudgers.

#2 Alan Murrray commented, on May 11, 2009 at 2:59 p.m.:

What are the PSNI thinking of? Has our shiny new police force not had training in Human Rights and the role of the press in a democratic society?
The press have an obligation to protect their sources. Without this guarantee we can never hold anyone accountable or expose the wrongdoings of the powerful.
Journalists (and bloggers) will feel obliged to censor themselves out of fear of prosecution.
Where will it end? The police across the UK have been abusing their powers to stifle dissent. Legitimate protest is increasingly criminalised. The UK is a vast Panopticon yet when Ian Tomlinson was assaulted by the police their camera footage suddenly became unavailable.
Suzanne Breen is a courageous woman and will stand her ground. The Tribune must stand with her.
Hugh Orde, soon to be a UK Top Cop, has shown his true colours and those of his not so "new" police force. Heaven help the UK population. They needn't look to this man to protect their democratic rights.

#3 Sean McAughey commented, on May 11, 2009 at 8:47 p.m.:

Suzanne Breen has at all times demonstrated honourable, journalistic integrity and in depth investigation in her writing that reflects public interest with fairness, accuracy and veracity. The PSNI action against her is the polar opposite.

Suzanne Breen is trusted by the public and more. This is likely the root cause of her most latest persecution (prosecution) by a police service which is stuggling in the public domain to be all that Suzanne Breen already is, honourable and trusted.

The police representatives also seek in “camera” sessions with a judge and the PSNI’s removal of Ms Breen and her legal team ought to be regarded as tantamount to libel and smear by most reasonable thinking people in any given scenario. This would be the case if Ms Breen or any other journalist did likewise when reporting and naturally the outcome would not be regarded fair, accurate or indeed verified. The PSNI court action belongs where unfair, innaccurate and all other bad journalism belongs.

“National Security” interests vs Public Interest is not new. But it is always a worrying development when the PSNI or any police service seeks to suprecede a journalist’s right to life. Especially in the North of Ireland where such a case flags up an inability to police the publc or solve crime without the persecution of Journalists and where public crime is a matter of “national security” and considered in camera matters by the Police. It suggests the Police are hiding something and not the journalist.

The Irish public already know the IRA is a dangerous organisation. Former members of the IRA which were a more dangerous threat to society are sitting in Government and they serve on PSNI Policing Boards surely the former IRA members know best the internal working of clandestine secret armies and the former IRA members are state servants today.

Given the danger and threat to Ms Breens life, career and good standing in the community many would be forgiven for paralleling by innuendo and otherwise Suzanne Breen’s State derived dilemma with another great and honourable female Irish journalist, the late Veronica Guerin, who was murdered because of her journalistic devotion.

All people of integrity must stand by Suzanne Breen. The list seems to be getting longer which is encouraging for her.

Good luck Suzanne Breen you are doing the right thing.

#4 Marty McGartland commented, on May 11, 2009 at 9:08 p.m.:

It is ironic that the state are pursuing Suzanne Breen while at the same time they, PSNI, MI5, Northumbria Police are colluding, covering up for terrorists who attempted to murder me in 1999 in England. Those involved in my shooting are known to the police, however, for political reasons, they will never be charged. Moreover, I have been protesting since 1991 for the RUC, PSNI to arrest and charge the 2 IRA members who kidnapped me at gunpoint and held me against my will for 8 hours before I escaped. However, despite RUC, PSNI, MI5 having overwhelming evidence that would enable them to charge both men, the state continue to cover-up serious terrorist activities while at the same time they intimidate, victimise a journalist who is just doing her job.

#5 Martin Doherty commented, on May 12, 2009 at 12:26 a.m.:

Orde is certainly upholding the tradition of the old RUC with his closed session’s courts reminiscent of the trials held in closed session in a tin hut in Long Kesh in the early seventies. But what of the two Nationalist parties,theSDLP and Sinn Fein who last year where claiming to be the true inheritors of the Civil Rights movement. Just like their predecessors in the old Stormont’s, not a word of support for the freedom of the press from any of them.

#6 P McGregor commented, on May 12, 2009 at 12:31 a.m.:

This is very scary. No one will talk to journalists ever again. No one will want to become a whistleblower again.

Maybe that is what the PSNI really want.

#7 Joe Graham commented, on May 12, 2009 at 2:53 p.m.:

It is time to take it to the streets, the greatest arena of all for the voice of the people.

#8 Sandy Boyer commented, on May 12, 2009 at 4:32 p.m.:

This is a clear threat to the public's right to information on critical events. If Suzanne Breen is imprisoned or fined, no journalist will dare to report controversial stories like the actvities of the Real IRA.

#9 Gerry Magee commented, on May 12, 2009 at 7:14 p.m.:

Very scary stuff. If sources are not protected, how can we the public get this type of insider news? It's just more proof of how undemocratic & heavy handed the Brits are in the 6 Counties. Suzanne Breen is doing the right thing. Kudos, too, to the Sunday Tribune for standing behind her.

#10 Stuart Penn commented, on May 12, 2009 at 8:19 p.m.:

Who will stand up for our rights if journalists are prosecuted for doing their job?
This is a crime against democracy.
Do we not live in a free society?

#11 A Hughes commented, on May 12, 2009 at 9:52 p.m.:

Once again we see the R.U.C. sorry P.S.N.I. up to their old tricks placing Suzanne, with her young family, at risk of terrorist assault, abusing the powers of state to cast a slur on the integrity of a fine journalist and manipulating the justice system to hide their incompetence. “Quis custodict ipsos custodes(Who keeps the keepers themselves)?” Suzanne, you have my full support for maintaining your dignity, upholding the right of journalist's to protect their sources. Well done to The Sunday Tribunefor supporting a courageous mother and fine journalist, Good luck and take care.

#12 Maureen Fitzpatrick commented, on May 13, 2009 at 1:51 a.m.:

As an American I've followed this story. Is there anyway the Tribune, could bring exposure to the International Community, like CNN, FOX News, or the New York Times? There needs to be an outcry of International support, because of the serious nature of this case. Ms. Breen is being used as a sacrificial lamb, and the behavior of the PSNI should not be tolerated.

#13 James Carson commented, on May 13, 2009 at 11:02 a.m.:

As a former soldier who served in NI at the outset of the troubles I crave for peace for the people of Ireland. I abhor the death of any more people including police, military or dissidents - but Ms Breen is not part of the justice system, nor the police system nor did she gain information before the event. Are we to sacrifice her safety and integrity for no other reason than to reinforce the grey matter of an ambiguous point of law? Did our illustrious leaders jump forth to declare their sources for a war that has cost hundreds of British lives and thousands of civilian casualties? Is our multi-billion pound law enforcement and justice system incapable of gaining a conviction without Ms Breens mobile? If that is the case, then heads must roll and the system changed. Her security must come first - everything else is secondary.

#14 Noel O'Hara commented, on May 13, 2009 at 5:12 p.m.:

STAZI Vs Breen. This lady's Civil and Human Rights must be defended by all who believe in the democratic right to a free Press without State censorship. Good luck to Ms. Breen in her fight for justice!!!

#15 mick collins commented, on May 19, 2009 at 3:05 a.m.:

The anonymity of sources is the hallmark of investigative journalism in every society! We need investigative journalists who stand out from the pack journalism that we have become so used to in Northern Ireland!
www.therebelsyell.com

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