| Report from Derry News, Thursday, 12 February, 2004 Kelly's widow to launch campaign in Derry The widow of the Irish Army captain scape-goated in the Republic's arms crisis will visit Derry in the near future to launch an international petition to clear her late husband's name. Sheila Kelly contacted the Derry - based 'Captain Kelly Justice Campaign' this week to confirm that she will officially launch the Internet campaign in the coming weeks. The campaigners are calling on the Irish State to issue a posthumous apology and have written to former Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey, as well as contemporaries of the Army captain and political leaders. Capt. Kelly, an Irish Army intelligence officer at the time, faced arms >import charges with Haughey and two other men. He oversaw the procurement of an arms consignment from Germany, which prompted the trial, but claimed he had Irish Government authorisation for it. All of them were acquitted but Capt. Kelly had to leave the Army and said the smear destroyed his life, according to the Derry-based October Fifth Association. Capt. Kelly died in July 2003 after a 33-year old battle to clear his name from wrongful implication. Even on his deathbed, Mrs. Kelly said, he had held on to the hope that he would receive an apology from the State. The crisis rocked Ireland in the early 1970s and has been described as the most dramatic legal event in the history of the State. Spokesperson for the campaign, Fionnbarra Ó Dochartaigh, an author and historian, said a press conference will be held on that date, which has yet to be decided. Those interested in attending such should contact the civil rights veterans via rights.civil@googlemail.com. |
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