In the Name of the Father Page #5

- should be considered independent.

- Control yourself. Pay attention.

My first witness is

Inspector Robert Dixon.

I swear by Almighty God that the

evidence I give shall be the truth...

the whole truth

and nothing but the truth.

Inspector, why do you believe

these four are the bombers?

First Hill, then Conlon,

Armstrong, Richardson...

confessed to the bombing.

They are the IRA's ASU.

Can you explain ASU for us?

Active Service Unit.

They are the elite of the IRA...

who carry out

the bombings and the shootings.

Often they are combat veterans with

experience of shooting at soldiers...

and planting explosives.

And the others...

Annie Maguire and her family?

They are the IRA's support network.

Their families and friends store

the weapons and explosives...

and they provide

what we call "safe houses."

Thank you, Inspector.

These people were arrested

two days...

after the Prevention

of Terrorism Act was introduced.

That's correct.

Can you explain, please, the powers

that this gives to the police?

It permits us to hold

suspected terrorists...

for a period of up to seven days.

Quite extraordinary powers

in a democracy.

Quite difficult, I would think for

the police to resist the temptation...

- to deal forcibly with people.

- Objection.

People they suspect of the biggest

bombing campaign on British mainland...

- since the Second World War.

- Objection. My lord, I really must...

- Get to the point!

- Now, this bombing campaign...

struck deep into the British people's

sense of security.

The people looked to you,

Inspector, to find those responsible.

Yes.

You must have been under

the most intense pressure.

That's my job.

Now, all of the defendants claim...

including young Patrick Maguire,

aged just 14...

Patrick,

would you stand up, please?

Thank you.

All of the defendants claim...

that they were subjected to physical and

mental abuse while in police custody.

They were never harmed

in any way.

He's f***ing lying!

They beat the shite out of us!

Silence!

Please believe us!

They beat us!

Just be quiet.

Sit them down!

Silence in the court!

Mr Conlon says...

that you pulled him by the hair

and squeezed his testicles.

I never even spoke to Mr Conlon.

I hope you burn in hell, Dixon.

Silence!

Mr Hill says the police sat astride him

and put a gun in his mouth.

There was no pressure of any kind.

You can go and f*** yourself,

you lying f***ing bastard!

Order! Order in court!

Inspector, in the case

of the four main defendants...

you have no corroborating evidence

of any kind.

I have the confessions of four obvious

terrorists. What more do you want?

Well, nitroglycerine

is a highly toxic substance.

It's when the substance

to be tested...

After a fewweeks,

we were bored out of our minds...

just messed around

and that there.

They must've been

desperate for evidence.

They produced Annie's washing-up gloves

like a rabbit out of a hat at one point.

Then it was my turn

to take the stand.

Mr Conlon,

did you bomb Guildford?

No, I didn't.

The police claim that you were in

Guildford on the night of the bombing.

Can you tell us where you were?

I was in a park in London

at that time.

- Who with?

- With Paul Hill sitting there.

You met somebody else that night,

about 8:
00 p.m.

- Aye, I met a man called Charlie Burke.

- And who is he?

He was just a fellow,

a homeless guy that we met in the park.

Why do you remember

this man so clearly?

I was thinking that if I didn't get out

ofLondon fast, I would end up like him.

- You told this to the police?

- Aye.

- What did they say?

- They said he didn't exist.

Mr Conlon, why did you confess

to the Guildford bombing?

They beat me...

and then they threatened

to kill my father.

- Will you repeat that please?

- They terrorized me for seven days.

After that,

they threatened to kill my father.

I'd have f***ing signed anything

after that.

- Excuse my language.

- Thank you.

You expect thisjury to believe

that decorated police officers...

would risk their career

and their reputation...

by threatening your father?

I don't expect them to believe it

by the time you finish with them...

but it happens to be truth.

You're an honest man,

aren't you, Mr Conlon?

I like to think so.

You've told us you remember

this Charlie Burke very well.

Aye.

Do you remember telling the police

anything else about that night?

Let me refresh your memory.

You told Inspector Dixon...

that you had committed

a robbery on that night.

Now do you remember?

Aye.

- Who did you rob?

- Robbed a hooker.

- You robbed a prostitute?

- Aye.

And we are expected to believe a man

who claims he stole from a prostitute...

before we would believe ten police

officers who stood here on oath...

and called you a liar?

That was the truth.

I'm bound to say I don't find

you very convincing.

Thank you, Mr Conlon.

Why didn't you tell me

that you'd stole from that woman?

You should've called me.

I would've sent the money.

Are you gonna be a thief

and a liar all your life?

Standing up in that witness box,

making faces to your mates.

At least you told the truth

in there. That'll stand you.

Are you not going

to eat that sausage?

They put a gun in my mouth...

and made me confess

to a murder I didn't commit.

So I said I did the big bombing...

and named anybody I knew

who was not in the IRA.

Not in the IRA?

- Definitely not in the IRA.

- Why?

You know why.

I just wanted to show

howridiculous it all was.

Inspector, the defendant Conlon

presented an alibi...

One Charlie Burke.

That name did appear in Mr Conlon's

statement. We investigated it.

We couldn't find any trace

of such a person.

And there was this question

of the robbery of a prostitute.

No robberies were reported

in that area that night.

At the start of this trial,

I shook Gerry Conlon's hand.

Subsequently, I was deeply shocked

when a fellowattorney came to me...

and asked me if I was now

going to wash my hand.

In my long legal career,

I cannot remember a case...

where emotions have

been so charged.

It falls to me now

to appeal to you...

the members of thejury,

not to get caught up in this...

tide of mass hysteria.

Inspector Dixon admits there are scores

ofinconsistencies in the confessions.

My clients contend that

they were forced to confess...

through brutality

and intimidation.

Now, they may be foolish...

petty thieves,

even drug abusers...

but they are not the ruthless bombers

who have terrorized Britain for months.

You should find these young people

not guilty.

- Bollocks!

- Okay, let's go.

- Get your f***ing hands off me!

- Move it!

- Move it!

- Hands off!

Ladies and gentlemen...

like my learned colleague

in the defence...

I would caution you not

to be swayed by your emotions.

The four people

you see in the front...

are one of the most cunning and

cruel criminal conspiracies...

ever to set foot on English soil.

Now, here are the facts

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