article_snippet: Controversial letters sent to IRA fugitives granting IRA fugitives granting them an amnesty from prosecution an amnesty from prosecution may have been illegal, a damning Parliamentary report has found.
article_snippet: chief negotiator Martin McGuinness in 2005 - Controversial letters sent to IRA fugitives granting them an amnesty from prosecution were sent to so-called ‘on the runs’ after pressure from Sinn Fein .
article_snippet: Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has reiterated that the Government was no longer standing by the ‘on the run’ letters and that those who had received the run’ letters could no longer rely on those who had received them as a defence.
article_snippet: A Northern Ireland Office spokesman said: ‘letters granting them immunity were only ever a statement of the facts as letters granting them immunity were understood at the time, as to whether or not an individual was wanted for questioning by the police.
article_snippet: ‘letters granting them immunity were not intended to preclude investigation or prosecution based on new evidence emerging, or on the basis of a fresh assessment of the existing evidence.
article_snippet: the Government is today repeating the Government statement that recipients of letters granting them immunity should cease to place any reliance on recipients of the letters.
highlights_snippet: Letters sent to IRA fugitives granting Letters amnesty may have been illegal .
  