Written evidence submitted by Mr Keith Powell for the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee’s inquiry into HM Government support for UK Victims of IRA attacks that used Gaddafi-supplied Semtex and weapons (LSX0043)

I hereby give you an evidential view into the daily torment that has haunted myself and that of my family with regards to the 1982 bombing of Hyde Park and Regents Park on the 20th of July. I am giving this written evidence at the request of the Northern Ireland committee who in my view are seeking a fair treatment of all IRA victims that were effected by the troubles with the use of Semtex explosives provided by the Gaddfi government that dates back to the early 70's.

Whilst I appreciate it was never proved that Semtex was in fact used in my father’s death I believe the enquiry should reach out beyond that of Semtex related bombings by the IRA.

If I am brutally honest, the events surrounding my father’s death and that of his comrades that day absolutely stinks.

The failings that day by the London metropolitan police are embarrassing at the cost of several lives of the Royal Green Jackets.

Just so you know the graphic detail of my father’s death so you can share the torment and mental images I create on a daily basis.

I am told if he was a foot to his left or a foot to his right he would have perhaps survived. Instead he was standing directly under a bomb planted by the IRA. The blast was that powerful it ripped through his body and sent him straight into a metal structure (pole of the bandstand) he wasn't buried with all of his body intact. He was 24 years old.

I want to know why, after the first IRA blast at Hyde Park this gig was allowed to go ahead. With members of the Royal Green Jackets playing the musical piece to Oliver Twist to many civilians whilst a mile down the road there is total carnage.

I want to know why after 34 years no justice has been given to the families that were effected.

I want to know why no compensation for the families has been awarded or at least an explanation into the failings that day.

I was robbed of my father, I never met him. My brothers last memory of him was him waving good bye in his spider man suit as his dad waved back through the glass window at the back of the coach.

My mother continues to have bad dreams of IRA "bad men" coming to get her.

The effects this has had on myself and my family are unprecedented.

The first proven connection with arms supplied by Libya and the Gaddafi regime was discovered in 1973 when the Irish Navy boarded a ship called the Claudia, off the Irish coast. They found five tonnes of weaponry supplied by Libya.

It has come to light that our own government have frozen money and assets here in the uk belonging to Libya. The talk of compensation for victims of Semtex explosives planted by the IRA is welcome, I think it's important that the victims of the Hyde Park and Regents Park bombings should be included too. It's the very least the British government could do after 34 years of pain and mourning. It won't bring my Father back but it will at least give us some closure on this ongoing issue.