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AN INQUEST INTO the 1974 IRA pub bombings in Birmingham that killed 21 people and injured almost 200 more is to be reopened.
BBC News reports that the decision was taken after senior coroner for Birmingham & Solihull Louise Hunt found that there is a “wealth of evidence that still has not been heard”.
Among the submission heard by the coroner are allegations that West Midlands Police were aware of the potential for an attack beforehand but did not act.
The coroner heard evidence that an overheard conversation was reported to police 11 days before the attack in which men linked to the IRA were heard saying that “Birmingham would be hit next week”.
The victims were killed when two bombs were detonated in two pubs on 10 November 1974. A third bomb was found later that night but it failed to detonate.
Although the IRA never claimed responsibility for the attack, they are widely believed to have planted the bombs.
An inquest that began after the bombing was halted pending a criminal investigation.
Six innocent Irishmen convicted of the atrocity were imprisoned for 16 years before the miscarriage of justice came to light.
The six men claimed that police forced them to sign confessions after physical and psychological torture.
After the men were released in 1991, West Midlands Police began investigating the case again but three years later it was decided that there was not enough evidence to prosecute anyone.
Last year, West Midlands Police said again that unless any new evidence came to light the case would not be re-opened.
Police had argued that the coroner did not have the authority to hear the inquests but she rejected that submission.
“I have serious concerns that advanced notice of the bombs may have been available to the police and that they failed to take the necessary steps to protect life,” Hunt decided today.
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I now prefer twitter to facebook. Just need events and their sorted
i only use facebook to wish people a Happy Birthday
Happy birthday.
Just as long as it doesn’t threaten thejournals copy and paste tweets policy!
Skynet! One company owns all…look out folks….
Don’t worry. There is still Microsoft.
So then, which one is the evil one?
If such a deal goes ahead, I can see all Twitter users being forced to create a Google user profile, much in the way you have to with all Google products and services.
Google is like the EU which can be summed up in two words – Fascist dictatorship
Would a fascist dictatorship allow you make such a comment or give you such unhindered Internet use? I doubt very much so. Back into your box.
You’d know the schools are closed this week :)
Still don’t really see the point of twitter apart from using it to make comments. Facebook has many uses but I really don’t get twitter.
It’s a micro blog. It’s not supposed to be used like Facebook. Twitter is excellent tool for getting your message heard. You select your newsfeed and see everything. No algorithms choosing what you see.
Great news. Really important stuff.
Said no one about this story, ever.
@fred yet you took the time to read it
It’s a good tech read. Facebook have also nailed mobile revenue. They have adapted well to it. Google is still struggling in that field.
It will be interesting to see how the next few years pan out. It’s difficult to retain such a coveted spot in the tech world.
The internet is literally watching us all. Mad.
I use both, why not?
If Google take over Twitter, then I will be deactivating and closing account as I did with facebook when they introduced their sneaky new opt ins in Jan of this year.
have your say