Jean McBride, mother of murdered teenager Peter McBride, is hopeful that a meeting will be possible with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair later this week when the PM visits the North. Speaking from her North Belfast home Mrs McBride was upbeat on the possibility of a meeting to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding the decision to allow the two Scots Guards convicted of the murder of her son to remain in the British Army despite their murder convictions. Jean McBride said this morning,

"At a recent meeting with the Secretary of State Dr Reid promised to do his best to arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister. In fact my daughter made him repeat the promise to do so. I understand that contacts have been made at the highest level and the Irish Government are pressing for a meeting when Tony Blair visits later this week. This Prime Minister has gone on record as calling for the dismissal of football hooligans who are in the British Army. I think its time that someone told him face to face that murder is a more serious crime than football hooliganism. I hope to get that opportunity this week."

The proposed meeting between Jean McBride and PM Tony Blair takes place only two weeks after the McBride case was raised in Germany where the two soldiers, Mark Wright and James Fisher, are based. A representative of the Pat Finucane Centre travelled to Muenster in northern Germany and met with local political parties including the Federal Green MP for the area, Winni Nachtwei, who sits on the defence sub-committee of the federal parliament. Meetings were also held with the leader of the Social Democratic grouping on the city council, Christoph Strasser and the (Christian Democratic) Mayors office. It emerged that a meeting has taken place between the regional administration and the British Army liaison officer as a direct result of this visit. The political parties have promised to raise the issue with both the British Army and the British Embassy in Berlin. Meetings also took place with the regional leader of the trade union movement which includes German civilian workers at British Army bases. The McBride issue will now be raised at a federal level within the German trade union movement and articles concerning the case have appeared in the local and regional press. West German radio (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) are now planning a programme on the controversy.

A spokesperson for the PFC said,

"The response in Muenster was overwhelming. Without exception those we met felt that a Nato ally had betrayed their trust by allowing two convicted murderers to be based in their region. The matter is far from over and we were informed that the issue will affect British- German relations if it is not swiftly resolved".

For more information see www.serve.com/pfc