Friday, March 09, 2007
Police Ombudsman to launch second collusion investigation
The BBC are reporting that the Police Ombudsman’s office will investigate claims of collusion between members of the PIRA and the security services. According to the report the Ombudsman will initially look into six apparently unspecified - beyond a reference to the involvement of Freddie Scappaticci - incidents over a 20-year period. But given that the previous investigation, Operation Ballast, took three and a half years to complete, not entirely satisfactorily, and that one inquiry into similar claims has been ongoing for 4 years - and just ran into some difficulty - there has to be a question about whether the Police Ombudsman’s office is an appropriate vehicle for such examination of the past nevermind whether some of the now insulated security services, even with a new chief, will be fully co-operative. Or, for that matter, any other interested parties..
From the BBC report
The scope of the investigation could be expanded if there are further credible allegations.
But Ms O’Loan said she was not yet labelling anyone as an informer.
“On the republican side, the allegations are that there was protection of republican criminals,” she said.
“And in some cases the suggestion is that there was a republican informant involved.”
Investigators have already been in touch with the police - and will soon be contacting the Army and intelligence agencies.
They will ask for information about some of the IRA agents alleged to have been working for them.
Pete Baker @ 12:11 PM
This will be a complete waste of tax payer money, as most already know about the likes of Stakeknife and their collusion.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 12:28 PMTruth truth!
Either we drop all the probes or we open the whole damn thing up.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 12:31 PMGet the truth out there. If MI5 or army intelligence or RUC special branch were running informers who were murdering citizens of any state the truth needs to come out
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 12:35 PMCan we handel the truth?
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 12:49 PMNo we can’t and thats the problem.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 12:53 PMI suppose some people are going to say that investigations of RUC/IRA collusion are some sort of counterweight to investigations on RUC/UVF collusion. But the reality is that all such investigations are good PR for republicanism - they showing how desparate (elements of) the British government were to keep the people of NI divided and in sectarian struggle.
If you want to find something to make SF look bad, you would need to find evidence of the IRA running killing agents in the British Army or something like that.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 01:09 PM“showing how desparate (elements of) the British government were to keep the people of NI divided and in sectarian struggle. ”
I would just have interpreted it as showing that they took the threat from the IRA very seriously.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 01:20 PMDougal: “Can we handel the truth? “
I dunno… lemme get bach to you…
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 01:28 PMPerhaps you should make a Liszt ?
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 01:45 PMVery witty Dread.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 01:49 PMbeano,
I suppose that’s just speculation and interpretation on my part, so maybe I shouldn’t have bothered saying it.My main point is that all the collusion allegations have involved the British Army running agents and doing so with no regard to life. There haven’t been accusations (that I’m aware of) of the IRA running agents in a similar fashion inside the British Army or RUC for example. Therefore, those unionists which are in denial will find no comfort in accusations of the British government running agents in the IRA, although they will try to spin it otherwise.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 02:37 PMHave a heart, JoeC… if he’s gonna put the ball on the tee, it *HAS* to be hit… its a rule somewhere…
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 03:23 PMJust wait for the unionists to come out of the wood work saying there should’nt be an investigation because it will embarrass SF leaders. My view is “bring it on!”.
If they are investigating Scap and his murders the I hope they also name his handlers and prosecute them. After all if they can arrest someone for a 26 year old murder then the should be able to bring these bastards to justice.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 04:12 PM“If they are investigating Scap and his murders”
So she’s not going after the big fish, Gerry and Martin?
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 06:14 PMNevin,
quote"So she’s not going after the big fish, Gerry and Martin?
LOL
The truth is the Ombudsman is more likely to run bollocky buff down the falls road hand in hand with Peter Hain than to genuinely investigate Republican collusion.
She knows and has known for some time about Freddy, want to take a bet that this charade is all about nailing one individual(its not Freddy) that both she and the HMG have been wanting to stitch up for some time.
Regards.
Ingram
PS. Parcifal. Will pass on my losing bet to Mick shortly.
Posted by on Mar 09, 2007 @ 09:11 PMIts all very well opening this up, as the truth should be told about all Brit agents/informers and how they were protected and who exactly protected and still is protecting who.
However, in relation to Starrs, Dignam and Burns, who were the policemen who covered up their involvement in the murder and burial of Margaret Perry? Even a very anti-Provo priest was at that time, and is still convinced that these three were being protected by the SB in relation to Margarets murder.
Why were they protected? Better still, why did the Provo leadership take so long to act against these three when long-time activists in the Lurgan/Portadown area were seeking them to be “interrogated” at least 2 years before they were abducted and shot.
A very dirty case, particularly as one of the three is suspected of setting up his own brother and two others to be shot. I hope Mrs Dignam realises that her own son was not an “innocent abroad” before this whole can of worms is finally opened.
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 03:29 AM“We provide an independent and impartial complaints service for members of the public about the conduct of police officers in Northern Ireland.” .. Nuala O’Loan, PONI website
She cannot be serious :<)
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 09:49 AMIngram
you have me confused, who are you hinting at? I normally read you stuff with interest but this has me
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 02:01 PMWatcher or Ingram, do either of you think there is any chance of Ombudsman’s office looking into the murder of Eoin Morley?
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 02:41 PMsusan
Maybe I’m cynical but the british establishment has no problem throwing RUC special branch officers to the wolves but they will draw the line at english politicans and military and intelligence officers. After all to them the RUC were just expendible micks.(dispite unionist protests that they are loyal brits.)
I’m sure Ingram will confirm that his spook bosses tried to have their agent, scap, kill his buddy Kevin Fulton to cover up their activities. Even though Fulton had served in the British Army and was an undercover agent in the IRA. To them he was just one more expendible paddy.
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 06:00 PMThere’s times it’s no crime to be cynical, heck.
I did a random google search and came across this link to an earlier Ombudman’s Report on the murder of Eoin Morley:
http://www.policeombudsman.org/publicationsuploads/FEB 17 - MORLEY REPORT.pdf
The link to the ombudsman’s report was on cryptome, which I believe is Ingram’s site; I’d never been there before.
The report is something to read, heck. The inconclusive conclusions at the end of the report make me suspect the Morley murder may not be one of the six cases currently under investigation now, but the pages leading up to the conclusion are difficult reading. It would make sense that Fulton is the person identified only as “A”, but I’m in no position to confirm or deny it.
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 07:02 PMSusan why has internet explorer blocked your link from downloading on to my computer? Is the link correct?
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 07:05 PMGerry, I usually use Safari on a mac, not internet explorer, but the link does work for me. Let me go find the page I found the link on—back in a sec.
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 07:08 PMHere, Gerry, hope this helps:
http://cryptome.org/eoin-morley.htm
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 07:09 PMThanks Susan
Posted by on Mar 10, 2007 @ 07:29 PM
