Saturday, April 08, 2006
Final moments
The Garda have released information about Denis Donaldson’s last moments, bringing into significant question the claim in a Daily Ireland headline that the Garda thought it could be suicide.
Fair Deal @ 11:01 AM
Daily Ireland tried to push the suicide angle. Then they and others like Morrison and Adams tried to push the spook angle.
Me thinks they protest too much.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 11:29 AMi woner if theyre checking for bird flu now that a dead stool pigeon has been found....
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 11:32 AMOh Dear
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 11:41 AMThe suicide angle is the easiest to debunk of all the theories. For one thing, where is the gun?
Did he hide the gun in the lake after shooting himself :-) [Apologies to the Slugger commentator who first asked this question.]
Unless somebody thinks he arranged for himself to be killed?
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 11:43 AMDireland front pages aren’t noted for their basis in fact, rather the agenda they’re designed to advance.
Remember ‘SDLP CHIEF’ Eddie Espie??
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 11:45 AM“Daily Ireland tried to push the suicide angle.” now who could they be trying to protect one wonders?
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 11:59 AMAnd there is no agenda in these thread’s. Is it not fact when the news broke there was all kinds of speculation. I saw many headlines blaming the IRA. I would say this is more about fair deal running with a political agenda rather than focusing on the real story. Work it out.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 12:07 PMThey are about to bury the traitor in the city cemetery at the corner of falls and whiterock roads.
Any one want to bet how long the hoods will take to desecrate it?
I’m up for a fiver within two weeks.
Definitely a case for cremation.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 12:17 PMI hear that they plan to run with the “disgruntled husband” line next - after all, Denis was such a ladies man....
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 12:20 PMThe Daily Ireland (DI) did not report that the Gardai ‘thought’ it was suicide, so the banner headline by Fair Deal is deliberately false (as it is intended to be). The Gardai were quoted as saying they had not ruled it out, quite a different emphasis there. Plus the DI report was compiled on Tuesday evening in the immrediate aftermath of the murder when the only official facts released through the Gardai and Mc Dowell were that Donaldson was dead and that he had a very serious arm injury.
This did not stop virtually every media outlet, politicians and quite a few commentators on Slugger and elsewhere from stating that Donaldson had in fact been tortured (lies). That Donaldson had been deliberately mutilated (lies). That his hand had symbolically been severed as some sort of ritualistic message (lies). In fact Fair Deal stated that Donaldson had been deliberately shot in the face as some some of extra punishment for the informer in order that the coffin remained closed to the family (more lies).
As more facts have emerged in the intervening four days one can now safely say that the suicide theory (speculated on last Tuesday evening) is now put to bed. Along with the mutilations ,torture and symbolic savagery. One wonders what is the sanction when a Slugger moderator lies through their teeth.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 12:38 PMFair Deal
Also important to note that Ian Paisley was incorrect when stating on Channel 4 News that Denis Donaldson had been tortured/ mutilated.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 12:46 PMIt looks like everyone is building up a head of steam on this, and casting accusations all over the place.
It is human nature to speculate for goodness sake, and lets face it, this whole DD affair has been sensational. Trusted provo, mate of the iconic Bobby Sands, turned brit spy.
You really couldnt make it up.It is natural that people will be at their work and trying to fly their own agendas in the interim. Rumours will always spark and fly at times like this, and I see no problem weighing in there.
However, no one needs to take the speculation too seriously. If the truth comes out about this, then we will have the real story. Of course, some may never believe it, or indeed the truth may not ever come out.
For the record, I made the crack about the gun in the lake post suicide, and about the stool pigeon. I have also been developing the line about something in his past coming back to haunt/ hunt him down in the end. I never suggested a disgruntled husband, I have suspicions deeper than that, but certainly a disgruntled interested party.
But thats all it is on my part. Idle speculation in a sensational case. In years gone by, we would have gone down to the pub and wound out these theories among friends and colleagues. Now we do it in the Virtual Public House, licensed and bona fides by Mick Fealty.
(If only he could charge for the drink)
So, continue to chatter and specualte, but dont take yourselves too seriously, just yet
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 12:56 PMWe all bring our prejudices to this. My first reaction was that the Brits did it!!
As I though about it tend to suspect that it was someone who found out where he was from the Sunday newspaper.
I’m sure both the brits and the IRA knew where he was already.
A few question for you experts. Can the police ombudsman investigate the outing of DD herself or does a complaint have to be made? Did the police do this because of their embarrassment over the Stormontgate affair? How did the newspaper find out where he was? Was there a leak to the press from with the PSNI?
If the police outted DD in revenge for not knowing about a “spy ring” (if there was one!) then aren’t they responsible even if they didn’t pull the trigger?
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:06 PMOk, he died of multiple shot gun wounds to the chest. So he shot himself, realised he hadn’t done quite a good enough job, then shot himself again, and again. Then cut off his own hand. Ok. Sounds a bit like what happened at Deep Cut, don’t ya think?
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:08 PMHeck
I would have thought that this transcended the role of the Ombudsman, to be honest. You are going to matters deep at the heart of governance and administration, so I would have imagined that you would have needed an independent judicial abritrter for this?Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:13 PMpat
My introductory line was not in “quote” marks -"haven’t ruled it out” and “thought it could” are hardly opposite meanings.
Some may diasgree about the detail and the motivations for the attack and the injuries but everyone else was agreed it was murder.
The Daily Ireland headline mentions Garda not ruling out suicide but the article provide no quote or even the get-out “soutrces say” to back up that claim. Every other quote is describing it as a murder even Gerry Adams.
It might be useful if you read the links.
“That his hand had symbolically been severed as some sort of ritualistic message (lies)”
The claims of a serious hand in jury are true.
The Irish examiner confirms this.“When they discovered him, in a room to the left of the cottage, Mr Donaldson’s hand was found under his body - hanging on just by its skin.”
“In fact Fair Deal stated that Donaldson had been deliberately shot in the face as some some of extra punishment for the informer in order that the coffin remained closed to the family (more lies).”
The Irish examiner report
“He was shot at least twice more - once to the body and then in the head.”Octo
Paisley characterised his comments with the limitation “If what I have heard is true...”
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:16 PM‘how did the newspaper find out where he was’
good question heck. Someone must have pointed out the cottage to the jurnalist, he would hardly have known unless someone told him.
What is this about the camera man being ex-special branch. Anyone know if there is any truth in this?
http://www.whokilleddennis.blogspot.com
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:18 PMI note that the son-in-law didn’t bother his arse going to the funeral.
Mustn’t have been allowed by the ‘RA.
It really is like the mafia - in every sense.Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:19 PMThey even had mass in the house. Did the church not want the traitor either?
Less than a 100 people there. Rent a crowd.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:28 PMI agree with MissFitz, [post 12] the value of slugger is we can read about an issue from all political angles and then hopefully come to a more informed conclusion. Although with the guards rationing the info in this case and feeding it to the media in a drip drip manner there was ample opportunity for speculation and mis-information to leak into the system.
On a different point, now we have a slugger official who posts from an entrenched Unionist perspective [sorry fair deal if I am mistaken] I feel it is only correct that the board has a SF republican to post articles from the other side. Myself I would like to see Pat McLarnon pick up this baton as he is like fair deal and honest, sound sort of Guy.
Regards to all
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:32 PM‘Brenda’,
A hundred people willing to show themselves, I find that interesting from a number of angles, or am I misinterpreting in your opinion.
Best regards
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:35 PMMick
“On a different point, now we have a slugger official who posts from an entrenched Unionist perspective [sorry fair deal if I am mistaken] I feel it is only correct that the board has a SF republican to post articles from the other side.”
I have no problem being descibed as a Unionist. Also in the list of bloggers on the site I an listed as a “politico” [although I ma not a member of a party] so slugger nor I claim I am a “neutral” in terms of the constitutional debate.
On your second point [and maybe I am mistaken about CD] but does Chris Donnelly not fulfil the role you outline? The gap is possibly more a SDLP blogger rather than a Sinn Fein one. If you are interested talk to mick about it, it’s what i did.
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:47 PM“"I feel it is only correct that the board has a SF republican to post articles from the other side.”
Someone like Chris Donnelly perhaps?
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:50 PMMick how you interpet something is your own affair.
They look like a pitiful crew on the television, but look on the bright side, now tombstone tom can point out the traitors grave on his next tour.
At least he was useful to his former comrades for something.Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:51 PMAh, I did not realize Chris had joined the board, as to myself I do not have the time as I already spend to much time surfing.
regards
Posted by on Apr 08, 2006 @ 01:54 PM
