Folks, I would like to start by wishing both the Smallhorne & Barrett families and John O Mahony all our best wishes for Happiness, Health and Prosperity in 2015. It has truly been a privilege to meet with and get to know these fantastic people over the last year. To all our supporters and members of this campaign here in Ireland and Overseas in many countries such as Holland, Norway, Sweden, UK, USA, Spain, Balkans, Canada and Australia and possibly more ,we would like to wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. At this time of year we all like to look back and reflect on what the year has been like and what we have achieved personally and collectively , and I am proud to say that in 2014 we truly made a difference. We as a group have achieved something that many said would never happen and was nigh on impossible after 34 years. Well, you all by your commitment and dedication to both Derek, Tom and John have proved them all very very wrong. There are many people and organizations who deserve mention for their work and contributions to the campaign but there are some I have to specially recognize for their immense contributions. Firstly Phil Brennan for setting up this page in memory of our comrades and the work he had done prior to January of this year. The page has been the centre of information for this campaign. Mr Steve Hindy New York, former AP reporter for never forgetting this incident,his eye witness account , his willingness to testify and for writing his piece Between Beirut and a Hard Place on Vice which was the catalyst for the start of this campaign in January. Niall O Dowd and Shelia Langan at Irishcentral and the Irish Voice in New York for believing in,and publishing our story for the first time in the United States. The Detroit Free Press in the form of Jim Schafer and Brian Kaufman who traveled to Ireland to report and film the story in July. They truly made a fantastic contribution to telling this story in the manner it always deserved to be told. They all deserve and have our thanks and respect for their efforts. Mr John Shanahan of the American Legion here in Ireland for his advise and guidance. He alone brought our campaign to a level in the United States we could possibly have never done on our own. The one and only Paul Clarke a man I have great respect for and am delighted to call a friend. His commitment and dedication to this campaign has been immense, his organization of both our Silent Vigils in April and May where a huge success and testament to his ability. He has worked tirelessly to achieve our mission at all times. Joey Bracken for writing and performing his song Surely Justice will be Done a fitting tribute and lasting memory to the lads. The working group who have put many hours of work to make sure we stayed on and accomplished our mission. They represent all that is good in people and I am proud to have worked alongside them. We must also recognize and welcome the work and actions of both the Irish Government and the United States Authorities who have both acted in an appropriate manner in relation to this case. At this point Mr Bazzi remains in custody in the United States and is now entering his sixth month there awaiting deportation back to Lebanon. High level meetings have taken place in Beirut recently between the Irish Minister of Defence and Lebanese officials to discuss the case and Mr Bazzis return to Lebanon. The Lebanese Government Commissioner to the Military Tribunal was in attendance at this meeting and is a positive indication with regard to Bazzis DFF / SLA membership which we feel is a crucial factor in securing the Justice we all want to achieve in the New Year. The Irish delegation stressed the importance of the case with their Lebanese counterparts and their expectations that justice will be done and be seen to be done. We expect to meet with members of the Irish delegation including the Minister early in the New Year for a detailed briefing on the current status of the case. So to finish thank you all for your support throughout the year. As we always say you are the campaign and it is you who have achieved our mission. Thank you. Let us now continue to work to finally secure the Justice we all want for our comrades. Lets ensure 2015 is the year our mission is complete.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 14:40:57 +0000
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