I.R.A. gives escape details

Press, 1 October 1983, Page 10

I.R.A. gives escape details

NZPA Belfast New details of the Irish Republican Army jailbreak from Northern Ireland’s top security Maze Prison were revealed yesterday by the terrorists themselves.

They disclosed how they had over-powered warders to prevent the alarm system from being triggered prematurely, how they hijacked a food van, and how they bluffed their way through four security gates. It was also revealed yesterday that during the mass break-out a gun had been rammed into the mouth of a prison officer and that a soldier on look-out duty thought warders were fighting among themselves as the 38 LR.A. men struggled to get out through the front

gate. One prison officer, James Ferris, aged 43, was stabbed to death as he tried to foil the escape and it is now believed that the murder weapon was a chisel stolen from one of the prison workshops. Some of the new details of Sunday’s break-out are contained in the latest issue of “Republican News,” the I.R.A.’s propaganda paper. According to the “Republican News” the break-out started around 3.30 p.m. after prisoners in H-Block Seven overpowered warders on duty in all four wings to prevent the alarm system from going off prematurely. Prisoners, some dressed in prison officers’ uniforms, produced guns and com-

mandeered a food van. They had to bluff their way through at least four sets of security gates ,to get to the main gate.

Detectives believe that at least five guns and two replicas were used in the break-out. In London the Northern Ireland Prisons Minister, Mr Nicholas Scott, moved swiftly yesterday to head off the growing demands for his resignation in the wake of the break-out. He called in two Conservative back-benchers yesterday and is believed to have given them a thorough briefing. His message was that no resignations would be offered. The escape had resulted from human, rather

than organisational failings, and that the flow of rumours about inside collaboration were wrong. Meanwhile the jailbreak plans have been found and examined by Sir James Hennessey, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, who is leading the inquiry into the escape. They were said to have been dropped in the frantic scramble by the 38 terrorists.

According to sources close to the jail only about six men had been engaged in the actual planning of the break-out. The rest had been told only minutes before the take-over of H-Block Seven. At the same time they were warned of the .consequences if they dared back down.