Allister presses government on justice for Gaddafi-linked IRA victims

Jim Allister MP and Andrew Rosindell MP with victims of Gaddafi sponsored IRA terrorism outside the Foreign Office after meeting minister, Hamish Falconer.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister has accused successive UK governments of failing victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism, following a high-level meeting with Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer.

Mr Allister said the meeting, held alongside Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell and representatives of victims, focused on what he described as the UK’s “unfinished business” in securing compensation for British citizens injured or bereaved as a result of attacks carried out using weapons supplied by the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

In a statement, the North Antrim MP said:

“Today, along with Andrew Rosindell MP and representatives of victims of Libyan sponsored IRA terrorism, I held a meeting with Foreign Office Minister, Hamish Falconer.”

The issue of compensation has long been a source of anger among victims’ families, particularly in Northern Ireland, where Gaddafi-supplied Semtex was used in numerous IRA bombings during the Troubles.

While other Western governments successfully secured compensation for their citizens, Mr Allister claimed the UK had failed to do so.

He said:

“Whereas the Governments of France, Germany and the USA extracted from Libya compensation for their citizens who were the victims of Gaddafi sponsored terrorism, successive U.K. Governments have failed British citizens, whether in GB or NI, who were victims of Gaddafi supplied Semtex and weapons.”

Mr Allister said the matter had been raised directly with the Prime Minister during Prime Minister’s Questions on 29 November 2025, where assurances were given that progress was being made.

“This unfinished business was the focus of our meeting, following an exchange I had with the Prime Minister in PMQs on 29 November 2025. In his reply the PM said his government is ‘working hard’ to progress the matter.”

However, he said the meeting with the Foreign Office minister had left him deeply disappointed, claiming the government felt constrained by an agreement reached under the Labour government led by Tony Blair.

“Despite the PM’s assurance that the government was ‘working hard’ to secure compensation, it turns out this government feels bound by the Blair government’s desert deal whereby, apart from the murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher, Libya was let wriggle free of liability for the IRA terror it enabled.”

Mr Allister went further, accusing the former Prime Minister of prioritising diplomatic relations over justice for victims.

“So, while the French, Germans and Americans were looking out for their citizens, Blair was selling out British victims of Gaddafi’s sponsored terrorism.”

He also highlighted the continued existence of frozen Libyan assets in London, arguing these could be used to support victims and their families.

“Yet, there still are immense frozen Libyan assets in London, from which there is an annual tax take. We, therefore, pressed the minister on why this tax benefit is not being used to help victims and why the government is not even trying to persuade the UN Security Council, which controls all Libyan frozen assets, to release same for the compensating of victims.”

For many victims and relatives, the issue is not only about financial compensation but official recognition of responsibility and wrongdoing. Families affected by IRA attacks have long argued that the UK government has failed to pursue justice with the same determination shown by other countries.

Mr Allister said the campaign would continue.

“We certainly left Minister Falconer in no doubt as to our ongoing disappointment with the government’s approach. We will continue to press the government on this unfinished business on behalf of those made victims by Gaddafi’s collaboration with the IRA.”