I have no doubt that suicidal thoughts are a side effect of SSRI's. Ditto for mania, sleeplessness, increased libido, deacreased libido, sleepiness, sleeplessness, headaches, amelioration of physiological pain, increased and decreased apetite...
Depression is a complex series of conditions and should be treated with behavioral therapy and medication. Some GP's seem to prescribe almost any drug asked for by patients or their guardians. This irresponsible behavior is facilitated by HMO's, wishing to prevent expensive counciling, and by schools who seek to control students. Clearly this has led to or facilited many suicide attempts and deaths. To simply blame the drugs is an oversimplification.
The issues here are (1) whether there is a specific drug-induced effect on some people (in this case children) that can trigger suicidal and/or violent impulses and (2) the extent to which the public has been lied to about it with help from taxpayer dollars.
I fully understand the various testing groups and use of placebos. That said, it is important to take into account what groups we are dealing with.
In the clinical trials in question (whose raw data has been concealed 'til recently), the groups we are dealing with are moderately to severely depressed children (as measured with standard rating scales like HAM-D or MADRS) with no previous history of suicidality. Pretty simple, really.
If you do "fully understand the various testing groups and use of placebos," then you already know this.