IRA Gardai Collusion in murder of Ian Sproule

Original post   (by Irish Republican Watch, added Friday, 21 June 2002 14:54:13 UTC+1)

From Lost Lives

3193. April 13, 1991
Ian Sproule, Tyrone
Civilian, Protestant, 23

From Lisleen Rd, Killen, near Castlederg, he was shot by the IRA as he
was parking his car outside his house. It later emerged that his
photograph was among a list of loyalist suspects in Gardai files. He
appeared on a Garda document with 'UVF' marked beside his name. The
IRA gave a copy to a Londonderry journalist. The document said Ian
Sproule was wanted in connection with the planting of incendiary
devices in business premises at Ballybofey, Castlefin and Letterkenny
on February 7-8, 1987.

These firebombings, however, had been claimed by the UFF rather than
the UVF. The IRA's possession of the Gardai document caused a major
security row. The dead man was one of a number of members of
Castlederg First Presbyterian Church who were killed by the IRA. The
minister at the church said that Ian Sproule's funeral was the 23rd
IRA victim's to pass along Main Street in the town. He said he had
buried nine of those dead and that "no one has been charged for any".
The first of these victims was Private William Bogle.