THE family of Micky Gilbride who was gunned down by a loyalist death squad on 4 November 1992 have unveiled a plaque in his memory at Rutland Street.
Micky was 36 when he was murdered by the UDA while he was visiting his parents’ home for lunch on a break from work.
The Operation Achille report which was published last year revealed that eight UDA agents, run and controlled by RUC Special Branch, were involved in up to 27 sectarian murders and political assassinations in South Belfast with Micky Gilbride being one of those murdered by the gang.
Speaking at the unveiling, Mark Thompson, Relatives for Justice CEO, said: “Micky Gilbride was a dedicated family man who was visiting his mother during his lunch break when his sectarian killers gunned him down.
“Micky was a much-loved and devoted husband, father, son and brother and a good friend and neighbour to many here in his native Ormeau Road.
“Micky and his family were robbed of so much in the most cruel and heinous of ways; he never saw his kids grow up, marry, and have families of their own. Today, Micky is a grandfather to eight grandkids.
Micky Gilbride
Mark continued: “No doubt he’d be extremely proud of every one of them, as he was of his own children.
“The trauma of Micky’s murder is as raw today as ever it was when he was murdered. Micky and his family lost out in so many ways. Compounding that trauma is the deliberate absence of truth, justice, and accountability.
“Truth subverted by RUC Special Branch, justice denied by RUC Special Branch, and the constant attempt at putting accountability beyond Roseanne and her family. Not to mention the British government's legacy bill of shame.
“From the concealment and destruction of evidence, the protection of the killers, through to the refusal to cooperate with the Police Ombudsman, retired Special Branch officers have done all in their power to thwart truth, justice, and accountability.
“These actions demonstrate they have much to hide. Why would those who spent their careers asking the public to cooperate with the police in murder enquiries refuse to cooperate with the Police Ombudsman when that office seeks to establish facts concerning multiple murders?
“Why would they advise and advocate that no former police officer should cooperate?
We all know why – because they were involved.”
Mark said that these former members of Special Branch have the audacity to challenge, by way of a “vexatious legal action”, findings of collusive behaviour by the Police Ombudsman in almost 50 murders and several attempted murders.
Mark added: “But the long reach of Special Branch into the PSNI will not work because people like Roseanne Gilbride, Micky's family, and all the other families, are never giving up. And despite your actions truth and justice will prevail.”
