West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féín Demand ‘Freedom For Pól Brennan!’

tyrone | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Wednesday November 12, 2008 16:26

by Saoirse - Ógra Shinn Féin

osfnational at yahoo dot ie

On the day that 1983 Long Kesh Escapee Pól Brennan will go to court in the USA to fight for his release, West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin have sent a message of solidarity and called for his “immediate freedom so that he can fight his deportation freely and fairly.”

Pól Brennan has been imprisoned in US jails from January this year, because when he was stopped at a routine road block, his work permit had expired. Pól is not undocumented and has a work authorisation permit in the system since 2006, but he has neither received or been refused the permit.

What began as a simple bureaucratic misunderstanding was soon escalated by the US Homeland Security who has also activated a deportation order for Pól. This completely ignores a US court ruling in 2000 which allowed Pól hearings for political asylum which are still ongoing.

Chairperson of West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McNally, said,

“We would like to extend our solidarity to Pól Brennan, his family and friends on what must be a very testing time for them, and we sincerely hope that all the campaigning work has been successful in securing his release so that he can spend Christmas at home with his loved ones. Ógra Shinn Féin has constantly called for Pól’s immediate freedom so that he can fight his deportation freely and fairly.”

“It is absolutely abhorrent that this denial of Pól’s basic freedom and civil liberties was allowed to escalate, Irish Republicans and Pól have constantly showed a determination to work proactively and advocate the merits of the Irish Peace Process, which has been endorsed by the US Government, yet they treat the very same people with contempt, and imprison them, this is deeply frustrating and must come to an end.”

Saor Pól Brennan Anois!

Strathroy 'The Roy' Estate, Omagh, County Tyrone

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Comments (2 of 2)

Why the noble efforts of the West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féín may not succeed in this instance

by Joachim

Mon Nov 17, 2008 22:01

It might have been a “great” escape but not so great at least in some eyes was the killing of a prison officer by stabbing in the process - something that is somehow unmentioned here but which would be very much in the minds of the US authorities dealing with this case.

Post 9/11 there is no toleration of illegal immigration or associations with terror organisations of whatever hue. The problem for Irish republicans is that the IRA repeatedly colluded with one of the most mortal enemies of the US – the Gadaffi regime – responsible for bombing two airliners out of the sky and that of a disco among many atrocities. Hundreds of innocent Americans and others were killed in these attacks. If the IRA wanted leeway for its fugitives in the US when caught there they should have thought about that before playing footsie with Gadaffi.

Pol is either fully lawfully resident in the US or not. If he was on the basis of truthful disclosure about his past and identity he would not be in custody now – no point in weasel words about documents, work permits and the like.

A political asylum application is a delaying tactic – it might work in the more benign EU but not with the hard chaws in the US. That is to pick the wrong people to mess with.

One fears therefore that appeals for Pol based on the peace process etc might not cut much ice and that he may have to trade the delights of the Bay Area for the more restrained amenities of West Tyrone in the not too distant future. Castelderg is not San Francisco but presumably is preferable to being dead like the forgotten prison officer or being banged up in Texas like our hero is now.

Solidarity

by Caroline

Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:42

I hope that Pól's inhumane denial of freedom comes to an end soon. Keep up the good work Irish youth.

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West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féín Demand ‘Freedom For Pól Brennan!’

Comments (2 of 2)