hillsborugh files still kept secret the AA grumpy column

[pantoandy]

hello its a lovely day and heres the AAgrumpy column again for your reading pleasure.

now football is not usually a subject i turn to .

to me its 22 puffs kicking a bag of wind round a field but conspiricy even in football thats a different matter.

RELATIVES of the Hillsborough disaster victims demanded "full" disclosure from secret files about the tragedy after the Home Secretary promised families help from the Government.

Jacqui Smith said hundreds of official documents could be made public 10 years early, following top-level discussions. They are currently subject to the 30-year-rule, effectively keeping them under lock and key for another decade.

the Hillsborough Families Support Group, said he was pleased at the news, but added: "It is vital these files are released in full and not sanitised in any way."

Some 96 Liverpool supporters died in a crush on April 15 1989 at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium where their team was to meet Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi final.

In a statement, the Home Secretary said: "The Government is committed to helping those who lost loved ones in the Hillsborough tragedy.

"That is why I will be working with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Attorney General's Office to put out any information that exists that could shed light on the disaster and its aftermath in the public domain as soon as possible."

The 20th anniversary of the tragedy, Britain's worst sporting disaster, was marked with memorial services in all three cities last Wednesday.

The victims' families have been fighting for further inquiries into the deaths.

They believe a Major Incident Plan was never initiated by South Yorkshire Police and fans at the Leppings Lane end were denied emergency medical attention. The families also dispute the findings of the single inquest into all 96 deaths, which ruled the victims were all dead or brain dead by 3.15pm, and which subsequently recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Hicks, who lost two teenage daughters on the day, said: "We have heard that a request has been made about the documents and we are expecting confirmation this week.

"I am pleased; it's better late than never.

"This will enable us to see the full picture of events in a way we have been denied for 20 years."

The documents covered by the 30-year-rule could include police files and the records of other emergency services, government departments and the local authorities.

The families say they are particularly keen to see the minutes of a meeting between then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and senior South Yorkshire Police officers which they say took place on the Sunday morning after the disaster.

Mr Hicks said: "We believe a decision was made at that meeting that the police would not be blamed for what happened.

"We would like to see the minutes of the meeting, to know what the Prime Minister was told and what decisions were taken."

A statement by South Yorkshire Police said: "The Chief Constable has not met the Home Secretary on the subject of Hillsborough, nor been asked by anyone to release files early. The Chief Constable, prior to the anniversary, independently offered to review all material held by South Yorkshire Police to establish what could lawfully be released, given the force has already made public so much of its archived information."

Reveal 'secret' files - Hillsborough families - The Star

AAG

so what have the police got to hide ?

did they make a **** up of the policing arrangements that saturday ?

would it be damaging or embarrasing to the chief constables reputation or would he lose his job if the truth really came out about that disasterous day.

this stinks of a cover up job and will be more damaging to the polices reputation

than releasing the documents.

the families and relatives of those 96 deserve to know the truth of what happened to their brothers sisters or dads who set out that morning to watch a football match and not expecting to meet with their deaths.

do the police think that by sweeping it under the carpet for another 10 years that it will quietly go away and the people will forget ?

or is the 30 year rule to protect those who make the **** up and in 30 years time the buck will be passed on to their sucessor who will wring his hands and apologise profusely.

AAG

[Oscar Namechange]

It's always been a police cover up. It was the decision of the police to open the turnstiles.

I remember when it happened and there was much reporting on it, grieving families were outraged that when they were interviewed, police did everything they could to imply their lost loved one had been drinking. The police allegedly did this to all of them in the hope they could pass it off as drunken fans and their own fault.

The police in this country have always covered their arsses and always will. No different to the De Menzes case.

[Bez]

There is much on the internet about the Hillsborough disaster. The investigation was an utter disgrace and a major cover up of the awful events of that day. The Hillsborough Football Disaster - Hillsborough Justice Campaign



Jimmy McGovern wrote a docu/drama about some of the families affected on the day......I think you an watch it on 'Youtube' if you have a couple of hours to spare.



Mr Hicks lost his 2 daughters in the tragedy aged 15 and 18.



It's a bit late but I hope the survivors and the families of the 96 who lost their lives get justice at last......