IRA Bomb Maker’s Release Stirs Outrage

The early release of the IRA bomb maker who killed the popular great-uncle of Prince Charles outraged many members of the public, although the father of a teenager who died in the same attack called it a matter of promoting peace. The Irish government released the bomber, Thomas McMahon, 50, from Dublin’s Mountjoy prison as part of the Northern Ireland peace agreement’s promise to free more than 400 convicted members of the Irish Republican Army and pro-British paramilitary gangs. “Keeping him in prison will unfortunately not bring my son back,” said John Maxwell, whose 15-year-old son, Paul, was killed along with Lord Mountbatten and two royal relatives in the bombing 19 years ago. Spokespeople for the royal family said both Queen Elizabeth II and her son, Charles, had been informed of McMahon’s release, but had no comment.