Hugh Torney
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INLA member who was active in the defending the INLA and IRSP against the attacks by the IPLO which was comprised of former INLAexpelled members in the mid-80's. Nicknamed Cueball Torney he became Chief Of Staff in the mid-late eighties much by default rather than by design. "Q ball" was known to prefer political activism rather than militarism which had been shown to be ineffective against a better equipped British military machine.Loyalist random sectarian murders were also bearing a heavy price on the Catholic/Nationalist community.Torney and Gino Gallagher had combined to pull off one of the most successful I.N.L.A operations of "The Troubles" with the clinical execution of 4 identified leaders of the U.V.F on the Shankill Rd including their military "Commandante" Lt.Col Trevor King amongst others.
Torney in 1995 stated that their was a "de facto" INLA ceasefire being observed in a Dublin court which although was a non-consultative decision with the membership was generally regarded as the case following P.I.R.A'S recent "cessation of hostilities". There was a subsequent coup d'etat and he was replaced as Chief Of Staff by Gino Gallagher in his absence( formerly the PRO (Prisoner Relations Officer) of the IRSP as well as being a feared gunman.) Torney and his gang (known as the INLA-GHQ)assassinated Gallagher in January 1996.A tragic decision which was to have further tragic consequences.
The events that followed saw the deaths of Torney along with his allies IRSP/INLA founder member John Fennell, Dessie McCleery and Fra Shannon as well as 9 year old Barbara McAlorum who was killed by pro-Gallagher gunmen seeking her brother Kevin (Gino's alleged killer). Kevin was later killed in 2004, and this has been linked to the INLA although their ceasefire has not been viewed as being "breached". Others who died or were killed either directly or indirectly were Mark "Sharkey" McNeill, Briege McGreevey and Brendan Gallagher.
[edit] References
www.irishnews.com Sept 5 1996
