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Government officials have ruled out launching a open investigation into the Provisional IRA's 1974-era Birmingham city pub bombings.

The Devastating Event

On 21 November 1974, 21 people were murdered and 220 hurt when explosive devices were set off at the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pub venues in Birmingham, in an assault largely thought to have been carried out by the Irish Republican Army.

Judicial Aftermath

Not a single person has been found guilty over the bombings. Back in 1991, six defendants had their convictions reversed after spending more than 16 years in jail in what stands as one of the most severe errors of justice in United Kingdom history.

Victims' Families Campaign for Justice

Relatives have long fought for a national probe into the attacks to uncover what the government knew at the time of the tragedy and why nobody has been brought to justice.

Official Response

The security minister, Dan Jarvis, announced on Thursday that while he had deep compassion for the relatives, the administration had decided “after detailed deliberation” it would not establish an investigation.

Jarvis said the government believes the reconciliation commission, created to investigate deaths associated with the Troubles, could look into the Birmingham incidents.

Activists React

Advocate Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine was killed in the explosions, commented the announcement indicated “the authorities are indifferent”.

The 62-year-old has for years pushed for a national inquiry and said she and other grieving families had “no intention” of taking part in the commission.

“There is no true independence in the panel,” she stated, explaining it was “equivalent to them marking their own performance”.

Demands for Evidence Release

Over the years, grieving families have been demanding the release of papers from security services on the incident – specifically on what the state was aware of before and after the attack, and what evidence there is that could lead to arrests.

“The whole state apparatus is against our relatives from ever knowing the truth,” she declared. “Exclusively a legally mandated judge-directed national inquiry will give us access to the documents they state they lack.”

Legal Capabilities

A official open inquiry has distinct legal authorities, including the power to compel individuals to appear and provide evidence associated with the investigation.

Prior Inquest

An investigation in 2019 – fought for grieving relatives – ruled the victims were unlawfully killed by the IRA but did not establish the identities of those culpable.

Hambleton commented: “Government bodies told the then coroner that they have no documents or evidence on what remains the UK's longest unresolved multiple killing of the last century, but now they want to force us down the route of this investigative body to provide evidence that they state has never been available”.

Political Criticism

Liam Byrne, the MP for the local constituency, labeled the government’s ruling as “profoundly disheartening”.

In a announcement on X, Byrne stated: “After so much period, so much suffering, and so many let-downs” the relatives merit a procedure that is “impartial, court-supervised, with complete authorities and fearless in the quest for the reality.”

Enduring Grief

Reflecting on the family’s persistent sorrow, Hambleton, who heads the campaign group, said: “Not a single family of any tragedy of any type will ever have closure. It doesn’t exist. The grief and the grief continue.”