Messages of sorrow mixed with outrage

CHURCHES, media organisations, trade unions, women's and professional groups all issued statements yesterday condemning the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.

Groups expressed their sorrow and outrage, and extended their sympathy to the family and friends of Ms Guerin. They called for those who killed her to be brought to justice.

On behalf of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Walton Empey, who is abroad, the Ven Gordon Linney, Archdeacon of Dublin, said the murder represented "evil in the extreme".

"Those in authority, who must deal with this matter on our behalf, deserve our prayers and assistance as they respond to this growing culture of violence, which knows no limits and is empty of all human feeling."

The murder was described as an attack on democracy by Mr George McCullagh, co convener of the Presbyterian Church's Church and Government Committee. It put press freedom at risk, he said, "and is in danger of making the whole community cowed, silent and afraid".

The President of the Law Society, Mr Andrew F. Smyth, on behalf of all the solicitors in Ireland, condemned "the shocking and outrageous murder". "Whatever resources are necessary must be employed to bring to justice the perpetrators of this evil act".

The New York based Committee to Protect Journalists, which last year granted an award to Ms Guerin for her bravery, called on the Government to take immediate action to bring the murderers to justice.

"We would like to express our sense of profound sadness and outrage at the death of our friend and colleague Veronica Guerin," said the executive director of the organisation, Mr William A Orme Jnr.

"Veronica Guerin's assassination is a chilling reminder that threats to a free press exist even in nations that are not struggling with political tyranny or civil conflict."

The group said Ms Guerin was the 24th journalist to be killed in the line of duty this year. The other deaths occurred in Algeria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Croatia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey and the Ukraine.

The Provincial Newspapers Association of Ireland called on the Government to take legislative action to ensure that in the future "no journalist would be left at the mercy of people who should not be at large".

The president of the organisation, Mr Tom Geoghegan, praised Ms Guerin's work in illustrating what was happening in the top echelons of crime in Ireland.

"One cowardly act has taken the life of a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend," said the national president of the Irish Countrywomen's Association, Ms Bridin Twist. "Our predecessors fought for free speech and we will not be silenced," she said. "No bullet will do this!"