Ulster Human Rights Watch, which supports innocent victims of terrorism, is urging a High Court Judge to re-consider his views that would put a terrorist on the same footing as their victims.
Mr Justice McAlinden, told a Stormont Committee recently that he would support a change in the Victims’ Payments Scheme that included everyone injured in a terrorist incident.
Reacting, Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW) Advocacy Manager, Axel Schmidt, said: “It is surprising for a senior judge to advocate publicly for a change in legislation that would appear to favour anybody claiming and obtaining compensation even if they are the author of a terrorist incident in which they were injured, or because they were bereaved after losing a loved one who was killed while in the act of committing a terrorist crime.
“The Westminster scheme rightly excludes those who were involved in terrorist activities and are not innocent victims and this should remain the case.
“However, what has been made clear is that the narrow interpretation given by the Victims’ Payments Board of being ‘present at the incident or in the immediate aftermath of the incident’ has resulted in excluding widows and children who lost their loved ones as victims of terrorist activities.
“Without fundamentally amending the legislation, it would be better if Judge McAlinden favoured and promoted an interpretation of the legislation that would enable innocent victims, like widows and orphans, to receive the payments they deserve for the trauma they suffered.
“Given the possible interpretation of the legislation, taking into account what is possible to be done, the Ulster Human Rights Watch would urge Judge McAlinden to reconsider his approach so as to deliver for those in our society who have suffered the most during the Troubles, in particular the innocent widows, widowers and children of victims of terrorism.”