Bloody Sunday, election, Irish, Ireland, British, Ulster, Unionist, Sinn Féin, SDLP, Ahern, Blair, Irish America

(by Liam Clarke, Sunday Times)

Sir Hugh Orde, the PSNI Chief Constable, has joined the growing criticism of Monica McWilliams, the Northern Ireland's chief human rights commissioner, after she described Antrim police station's anti terrorist holding facility as "completely unsuitable for long term detention."

McWilliams last week called for nine suspects in recent dissident republican murder cases to be either charged or released and said "Their issue is the lack of stimuli, the lack of exercise."

Orde, who described the Antrim facility as "purpose built, one of the most modern" said "Monica is on record as having a long term objection to 28 day detention, whether or not it is lawful. I think to bolt that objection onto a live and deeply complicated case is not a good way of doing it.

"One has to be careful if one is independent not to get tied into what is a possible defence strategy" he said. "I think by stepping in at those moments you may run that risk."

Lady Trimble and Jonathan Bell, two unionist members of the Human Rights Commission, have contacted her to express their concern. And contact her to express their concerns. Danny Kennedy, the Deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist party called on her to resign.

McWilliams visited the centre, as is her right to after a complaint one of the prisoners' lawyers, and did not consult all the other commissioners before issuing her statement.

She has rejected the criticism, saying "the commission is charged to independently ensure human rights standards are adhered to and maintained, not to reflect populist sentiment."

This article first appeared in the Sunday Times on March 29, 2009.

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