The May, 2004 meeting of the Brehon Law Society of Nassau County took place on Monday, May 3, 2004 at McGillicuddy's Irish Inn

Sean Mackin.Our guest speaker was Seán Mackin. Seán, a well known Irish republican, is originally from Belfast and has for many years been a resident of New York City.  He is an American citizen who won political refugee status in a landmark decision a number of years ago in the US courts.  Seán was arrested and detained while visiting his family in Belfast during the Easter weekend in a blatant attempt to chill Irish American activism and to derail the Irish peace process. 

 
 
 
 
SEAN MACKIN ARRESTED IN BELFAST

 New York  9 April 2004  11:00 pm  The Brehon Law Society is shocked at the appalling arrest in Belfast today of our longtime friend and neighbor Seán Mackin.  This politically motivated action by the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland), comes, of all days, on the anniversary of the "Good Friday Agreement" and shows once again that this so-called "police service" and other elements of the British "security" apparatus in the north of Ireland are motivated by a desire to wreck the Irish peace process.  We join our voices to those of all other human rights activists and supporters of peace in Ireland in demanding Sean's immediate release.  Seán, originally from Belfast has for many years been a resident of New York City.  He is an American citizen who won political refugee status in a landmark decision over a dozen years ago in the US courts. 

Seán was violently arrested today in a Police Service Northern Ireland [PSNI] operation in West Belfast while visiting his family over the Easter holidays. He was brutally taken into PSNI custody apparently for questioning regarding the 1983 killing of a Royal Ulster Constabulary [RUC] man.

Please note the following:

  • Mr. Mackin has visited his relatives in his home  town of Belfast many times over the years since his deportation case in the US was won.  Why is he now arrested regarding a case over twenty years in the past?
     
  • In 1989, in connection to his deportation case in US courts, the RUC and British Intelligence stated no cause to seek him nor to question him on any charges.
     
  • Seán Mackin has been very visible and proactive over the past decade in progressing the Irish peace process.  Sean was consistently harassed, beaten and seriously injured by the RUC/British army as a boy and young man growing up in West Belfast. 
     

From the Irish Echo:

Seán Mackin arrested in Belfast

Leading NY Irish republican charged with '83 murder
By Anne Cadwallader
acadwallader@irishecho.com

BELFAST, April 9 -- Seán Mackin, a well-known Irish republican and fundraiser for Friends of Sinn Fein and a New York resident for many years, was arrested in Belfast today and charged with murder.

Sinn Fein has demanded the immediate release of Mackin and has contacted the US consulate in Belfast to protest his arrest. The police allegedly beat Mackin as he was being arrested.

A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland would say only that: "a 45-year-old man was arrested by uniformed officers on suspicion of murder at Grosvenor Road, west Belfast, at 2.30."

"He was taken to the Antrim Serious Crimes Suite for questioning." Mackin is being held under the Terrorism Act 2000. Sinn Fein, family and friends of Mackin confirmed that he had been arrested.

The murder in question is believed to be that of Reserve Constable Colin Carson, killed in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, on May 26, 1983.

Mackin, who is a US citizen, was allegedly dragged from a car and punched by police officers during the arrest operation on Friday on the Grosvenor Road in west Belfast. Sinn Fein said a child witnessed the arrest and that Mackin had shouted, "Run to Roisin?s" (a reference to his sister?s house nearby).

When his sister contacted the police, according to Sinn Fein, they denied they had him in custody. When a solicitor contacted the police some time later, they confirmed they had Mackin in custody in Antrim.

Sinn Fein said there was outrage in the area at Mackin?s arrest. A spokesman said he was a frequent and open visitor to the area and had never been arrested before.

Mackin is believed to have been a member of the INLA for many years before he moved to the U.S.

Sinn Féin'S policing spokesperson, Gerry Kelly, demanded Mackin's immediate release whom he described as a political refugee.

Kelly said "Sean Mackin was visiting family in west Belfast as he has often done in the past when he was trailed from his car in the Roden Street area, assaulted and bundled into an unmarked PSNI vehicle".

"This vindictive arrest is outrageous and I am demanding the immediate release of Sean Mackin. Sinn Féin has been in contact with the US Consulate regarding this very serious matter".

" This action coming in the week when evidence of the Special Branch involvement in various criminal activities including murder was unveiled by Judge Cory is further evidence of the influence of the old regime over current policing arrangements."