TUV Councillor Timothy Gaston Blasts Causeway Coast and Glens Mayor, Sean Bateson, Commemoration of Ballymena Bomber.
Councillor Gaston issued the following,
“Thomas McElwee was no hero. The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Council has described him as “gallant” but there was nothing brave or heroic about the actions which resulted in McElwee being in the Maze in the first place.
“I think there was a great deal more gallantly displayed by his victim, Yvonne Dunlop.
“Mrs Dunlop was a 27 year old married mother of three who died when the IRA firebombed Alley Katz boutique in Bridge Street. Her 9 year old son was able to escape the building because she shouted a warning after checking a shopping bag left by two girls and discovered a bomb. Sadly Yvonne Dunlop did not have a chance to get away before the firebomb exploded.
“During the Ballymena incident McElwee and three others were injured when another incendiary device exploded in their car. A list of targets was found in the car.
“Five years after the bombing the Dunlop children travelled to London to challenge Ken Livingstone’s contention that McElwee was “not a criminal but a man fighting for the freedom of his country”.
“It is outrageous that justification of the slaughter of a young mother in the streets of our town is still going on today.
“The rewriting of history while those who bravely faced down terror are subject to prosecution is causing huge anger within the Unionist community. Republicans demand respect while trampling over the victims of their bloody IRA. This is a large part of the reason why I continue to believe that Sinn Fein remain unfit for government.”
