A short report from yesterday which almost slipped under the radar. The trial of “good republican” Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy in the Special Criminal Court, on charges connected to alleged revenue offences, could begin in late May or early June.
Mr Murphy was remanded on continuing bail until April when the case will be mentioned again.
I share many of the concerns of Andy Pollak, whose recent post ‘My Response to the Slugger Begrudgers’ zeroed in on the ‘relentless flow of negativity’ of some Slugger commentators. Pollak’s post was largely concerned with the medium of the blog. Indeed, I think the anonymity of the online world encourages extreme discourse and allows [...] read our review »
Writer Christopher Hitchens has died aged 62. He was as contrary as he was brilliant. Here is a brief In Memoriam from Vanity Fair (his outlet of choice since 1992) and, here, a longer tribute from his friend Christopher Buckley Stanley in The New Yorker. Better, perhaps, though to post one of Hitchens’ own writings in [...] read our review »
World by Storm has a nice piece up on the IRA’s role in helping MK, the armed wing of the ANC, in the 1980s. In particular he sees a strange alchemy at work there: …if one can think of a clearly legitimate contemporary struggle it was that against apartheid and it is to the credit [...] read our review »
For those who doubt that Curly Bonce Jonathon Powell authorised the dealings in South Armagh, look no further than the book being released next month giving a first hand account of the Downing Street years through the eyes of Johnathon Powell, Tony Blair’s Chief of staff.
A full account of how the Brit and Irish govt made a deal with the South Armagh brigade is included in the draft of the book, lets hope it makes the final published version.
However, I am sure Curly Bonce Jonathon Powell will have plenty to say when he called to give evidence at the Tom Slab Murphy trial.
Am I missing something isnt this a simple tax evasion trial where the chief witnesses will be forensic accountants?
I know of all the crimes slab has been accused of but this isnt about them is it?
i mean it will all come down to the accountants proving Mr. Murphy has more money then he should and more money then he claimed on his tax returns