PRC-UTE
12th November 2004, 03:52
Fallen Comrade of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement
Alex Patterson
Volunteer - Irish National Liberation Army
Killed in Action on 12 November 1990
Alex Patterson, aged 31 and a father of four from Strabane, Co.
Tyrone, was shot dead on 12 November 1990 by a unit of the British
Army's Special Air Service, which had staked out the house of an
Ulster Defence Regiment soldier near Victoria Bridge outside Strabane.
News reports at the time indicated that security forces had known
ahead of time of an imminent INLA attack on the soldier's house.
Patterson's death was the subject of an inquest in 1997, highlighting
another example of Britain's "shoot to kill" policy when dealing with
republican activists.
At the inquest, the British Army admitted that Patterson was given no
chance to surrender and that no medical assistance was summoned after
the shooting. Evidence submitted to the inquest suggested that
Patterson may have been captured and summarily executed by the SAS.
When the jury returned a verdict that didn't support the British
Army's version of events, the coroner dismissed the jury and sealed
their verdict, which was only revealed after a lawsuit.
A memorial to Patterson and another comrade was unveiled in Strabane
on 10 August 2003.
He died as he lived: a Republican Socialist. Remember him with
honour and pride.
http://www.irsm.org/fallen/patterson/
Article about the memorial unveiling:
http://www.teachnafailte.org/strabane.htm
Alex Patterson
Volunteer - Irish National Liberation Army
Killed in Action on 12 November 1990
Alex Patterson, aged 31 and a father of four from Strabane, Co.
Tyrone, was shot dead on 12 November 1990 by a unit of the British
Army's Special Air Service, which had staked out the house of an
Ulster Defence Regiment soldier near Victoria Bridge outside Strabane.
News reports at the time indicated that security forces had known
ahead of time of an imminent INLA attack on the soldier's house.
Patterson's death was the subject of an inquest in 1997, highlighting
another example of Britain's "shoot to kill" policy when dealing with
republican activists.
At the inquest, the British Army admitted that Patterson was given no
chance to surrender and that no medical assistance was summoned after
the shooting. Evidence submitted to the inquest suggested that
Patterson may have been captured and summarily executed by the SAS.
When the jury returned a verdict that didn't support the British
Army's version of events, the coroner dismissed the jury and sealed
their verdict, which was only revealed after a lawsuit.
A memorial to Patterson and another comrade was unveiled in Strabane
on 10 August 2003.
He died as he lived: a Republican Socialist. Remember him with
honour and pride.
http://www.irsm.org/fallen/patterson/
Article about the memorial unveiling:
http://www.teachnafailte.org/strabane.htm