September 15, 2003 Anniversary of British Soldiers Murdering Peter McBride
They are still in the army - one has been promoted.

The Ministry of Defence has reiterated that two Scots Guardsmen, convicted of murder can stay in the Army. The family of murdered Belfast teenager, Peter McBride, are calling for the dismissal of Mark Wright and Jim Fisher convicted of the 1992 murder. On Sept 4th 1992 Peter McBride, 18 year-old father of two, was stopped by the Army in Belfast. An identity check showed that he was not "wanted" and a body search found him unarmed. Peter ran from the patrol and was chased by the soldiers. Guardsmen Wright and Fisher, shot him in the back and killed him. In 1995 the two were convicted of murder and sentenced to life. In 1998 they were released from Maghaberry Prison in the north of Ireland and flown to Catterick barracks. The Army Board decided they could continue in the Army under an "exceptional circumstances" clause. This was justified by saying that the guardsmen had made an "error of judgement". John Spellar, NI minister responsible for Human Rights has recently re-iterated this view to the McBride family Spellar sat on the army board in 2000 that allowed the two soldiers to remain in the armed forces. He was appointed to the Northern Ireland Office as minister of state responsible for human rights, criminal justice and equality in June. The decision not to expel Fisher and Wright comes two months after a court of appeal ruling in the North that found the British army had been wrong to allow the two to remain in the armed forces. Despite the latest setback, Jean McBride insisted that her family's campaign would continue. "I have one message for this government: we are not going away," she said. "I will fight to have Wright and Fisher dismissed while I still have a breath in my body" Peter's sister, Kelly, has announced today that she will stand in the forthcoming Brent Bye Election to highlight the families call for justice.

What can we do?
• The family have called for an International Day of Protest on Sept. 4th
• Express your disgust at the retention of two convicted murderers in the British Army - contact any or all of the following e-amil, phone, or postal addresses:
  • John Spellar - Minister for Northern Ireland - spellarj@parliament.uk
  • public@ministers.mod.uk - e-mail for ministers at the MOD
  • Geoff Hoon - Secretary of State for Defence
  • Adam Ingram - Minister of State for the Armed Forces
  • General telephone enquiries to the MOD - Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm. Tel No: (+44) 0870 607 4455
  • Letters to Ministers, complaints and other General Defence related enquiries:
    The Ministerial' Correspondence Unit, Room 6140, Main Building, Whitehall,London SW1A 2HB
  • Complaints, north of Ireland:
    The Community Relations Office, HQNI, BFPO 825
  • The Army Personnel Centre - Relations with the Public Desk
    Room 5109, Kintigern House, 65 Brown Street Glasgow G2 8EX
    Telephone 0141-224-3509/10/11/12/13/14/15
  • Army Recruiting Group, FREEPOST 4335 Bristol BS1 3YX United Kingdom
• Today or at any time:
• Organise pickets, vigils and delegations to MPs.
• Flood MOD/Army Recruitment Offices/MPs by telephone, faxes and emails
• Organise pickets and 'visits' to Army Recruitment Offices in Britain
• Call radio talk shows and write letters to newspapers.
• Circulate a petition calling for the dismissal of Guardsmen Wright and Fisher from the Army.
• Propose a motion at meetings of any Trade Union, Labour Party, Community group or society you are a member of.
• Chalk crime scene figures with Peter McBride's name outside appropriate offices with links to the British Government.
• For Further Information Contact:
  Troops Out Movement
  Campaigning for British Withdrawal from Ireland
  PO Box 1032 Birmingham B12 8BZ
  Tel / Fax 0121 643 7542 Mobile: 0797 017 4167
  Email: tom@sparkle123.freeserve.co.uk
  Website: www.troopsoutmovement.com