July 16th, 2003: Former Irish army captain, intelligence officer and founding member of the INC, James J. Kelly, died. At his death-bed family members promised to continue his 33-year long campaign for justice.

     Unexpectedly, within hours of his death An Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern TD, tells journalists, "Captain Jim Kelly acted on what he believed were the proper orders of his superiors. For my part, I never found any reason to doubt his integrity".

     After his acquittal at the Arms Trial in 1970, Kelly was denied his Army pension for a period by the Lynch administration. The Irish state had dragged his good name through the mud and never apologised for it. The Captain Kelly Justice Campaign have set up an online petition "…calling on An Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern TD, and both houses of the Oireachtas… to immediately activate whatever political and / or legal measures necessary to clear the good name of the recently deceased Irish Army captain…"

Many have signed the petition already, such as:

Independent TD's; Finian McGrath, Niall Blaney, Liam Blaney, (Independent Fianna Fáil).

Labour TD's; Liz McManus, Mary Upton, Ruairí Quinn, Joe Costello, Michael D. Higgins.

Sinn Féin TD's; Caoimhghin O' Caoláin, Aongus O' Snodaigh, Seán Crowe, Martin Ferris, Arthur Morgan

Cllr. Dermot Lacey & Cllr. Mary Freehill, both ex-Lord Mayors of Dublin.

Derry-born, Senator Mary Kathleen O'Doherty

Waheed Alli, House of Lords. Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London. Tony Benn, former Labour M.P, Kevin McNamara Labour MP.

"What an extraordinary story of injustice. I would be proud for you to add my name to the petition" - Tony Benn, London.

"We cannot erase the past but that should not prevent our striving for Justice for those whose reputation has been cruelly besmirched. Captain Kelly deserves Justice, even if he cannot be here to see it". - Kevin McNamara MP

Fr. Des Wilson, Belfast. Fr. Oliver Kelly, Co. Cavan &: Fr. Martin Kelly, Co. Down (younger brothers of Capt. Jim Kelly). Fr. Robert J. Doherty, Celtic Cross Awards Society, Boston, USA. Fr. Joe McVeigh, Co. Fermanagh. Fr. Brendan Forde, OFM, Dublin. Sister Kathleen Pritchard, Harare, Zimbabwe, C. Africa. Sister Mary Fahy, Presentation Sisters, Co. Cavan.

"I worked with the man, he was my Boss. I loved him as a Soldier loves his Comrades. R.I.P" - Ex-Cpl. Anthony Delaney, 5th. Battalion, Dublin

Others include: Author, Dr. Raymond McClean, civil rights' veteran, former Mayor of Derry. Author, Paddy 'Bogside' Doherty, civil rights' veteran, chair- Derry Citizens' Defence Committee. John Kelly, former MLA, civil rights' veteran, chair-Belfast Citizens' Defence Committee. Tim Pat Coogan, author, commentator and historian. Irish-American columnists, Michael J. Cummings and. James Crossan. Fionnbarra O'Dochartaigh, author & historian, co-founder, N. Ireland Civil Rights Assoc. [1967]. Ivana Bacik, Reid Professor of Law, Trinity College Dublin

"This man is the Irish Dreyfus. His name should be cleared" - Tim Pat Coogan, Glengeary, Co. Dublin.

I invite you to sign this petition at:

www.captainkelly.org