Terrorism – Page 10 – Slugger O'Toole

Martin McGuinness: “but I don’t recall saying that.”

Pete Baker on October 23, 2011, 4:15 pm

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During the campaign to become President of Ireland, the Sinn Féin candidate, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, has repeatedly claimed that “As a republican leader I have never and would never stand over attacks on the Garda Síochána or the Defence Forces” In a report today, he’s again quoted as saying “I would not support anybody under any circumstances attacking the gardai or the Defence Forces…” So it’s worth noting Martin McGuinness’ response on Thursday’s RTÉ’s Six One News, when confronted …

Michael Campbell sentenced to 12 years after MI5 sting operation

Pete Baker on October 21, 2011, 4:29 pm

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After a two year trial in Lithuania, suspected Real IRA member Michael Campbell, 39, from County Louth, has been found guilty of supporting a terrorist group, illegal possession of weapons and attempted weapons smuggling and has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was arrested in Lithuania in January 2008 as a result of an MI5 sting operation, working alongside Lithuanian authorities, against republican terrorist groups. From the Guardian report Michael Campbell was jailed for 12 years by a judge …

“It is highly unlikely that channel will get any airing in San Sebastián this week.”

Pete Baker on October 19, 2011, 6:41 pm

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As of yet, there’s been no response from Basque terrorist group ETA to the declaration by the great and the good Former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, former Norwegian Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Bruntland, Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Former French Minister, Pierre Joxe, International Representative for west Belfast Louth, Gerry Adams, TD, and… ermm… his sometime speech-writer, Tony Blair’s former Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell. That’s despite it being what the BBC described as a “carefully choreographed” event. Not that I’d expect …

“There are sometimes occasions when frank disagreements arise between states…”

Pete Baker on October 17, 2011, 11:20 pm

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After meeting with the Finucane family to discuss the UK government’s decision “to conduct an independent review to produce a full public account of any state involvement in the murder”, rather than open an inquiry under the 2005 Inquiries Act, UTV reports Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore’s comments Speaking after a meeting with the Finucane family on Monday afternoon he said: “There are sometimes occasions when frank disagreements arise between states. “This is one on this occasion.” …… Mr …

“It was only since the presidential campaign got under way…”

Pete Baker on October 12, 2011, 5:47 pm

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As RTÉ reported on Monday, the Sinn Féin candidate in the Irish Presidential race, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, found himself confronted, and called “a liar”, by the son of a member of the Irish Army who was killed in Ballinamore in 1983 by the Provisional IRA gang who were holding the kidnapped businessman Don Tidey. The full RTÉ video clip is available here. As Anthony McIntyre observes Looking at the incident from where I sat the presidential candidate was caught unawares by what he thought was …

Judge Smithwick: “I therefore anticipate that I will be able to submit my final report by the end of May 2012.”

Pete Baker on October 10, 2011, 2:27 pm

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Having expressed his concern at the 30 November ‘deadline’ initially imposed by the Irish Government, Judge Peter Smithwick has now formally requested a 6 month extension for the tribunal he chairs. From the Irish Times report The tribunal, now six years in existence, began its public hearings only in June this year. Judge Smithwick stated in his letter that since the public hearings had begun, a number of people previously unknown to the tribunal had come forward with potentially important information, …

‘Good’ UDA visits US

Pete Baker on October 6, 2011, 2:32 pm

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With the reported assistance of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, Jackie McDonald and three other representatives of the ‘good’ UDA secured the necessary visas and are now in the US. Travelling on their British passports, natch. Now-Senator Martin McAleese continues to assist as they meet some familar names. The Irish Times’ Lara Marlowe reports The trip is not a fundraising mission. Because of their paramilitary pasts, the state department had to provide waivers for them to receive US visas. Mr McDonald, who …

Martin McGuinness: “but it bears all kinds of sinister connotations…”

Pete Baker on October 3, 2011, 10:41 pm

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There was a bizarre interruption in the Irish Times interview with the Sinn Fein candidate in the Irish Presidential race, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA. From the Irish Times report TEN MINUTES into our interview, Martin McGuinness is beginning to set out how he’s been around a long time, when a shadow falls across the table. We turn around and a large, hirsute man looms above, shaking a camán and warning, “You’d better not ask any hard questions.” A smile as …

Martin McGuinness: “the past is a very, very dark place for everybody.”

Pete Baker on September 29, 2011, 6:17 pm

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In response to a challenge to appear in front of the Smithwick Tribunal, Sinn Féin’s candidate in the Irish Presidential election, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, has said that he has “no problem at all attending the tribunal”. But he added that he has “no direct knowledge of the circumstances surrounding” the murder of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan. Earlier today, Martin McGuinness said he could not recall the incident Peter Murtagh wrote about in today’s Irish Times, threatened Frank Hegarty’s family with recounting his …

Alex Maskey: “this particular development is a little bit interesting but it’s certainly not one that I would support.”

Pete Baker on September 21, 2011, 6:54 pm

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The short BBC report on the police being attacked with fireworks in the Markets area of Belfast last night, as they investigated the shooting of a 20-year-old man in the legs, has few details to go on. UTV, on the other hand, have a straight-foward statement, condemning both incidents, from local Alliance Councillor Catherine Curran, and something odd from Sinn Féin MLA, Alex Maskey. Mr Maskey explained the initial incident. “Two people went to a house and asked for an individual by Christian …

“McKee — booted out of the IRA in 2004…”

Pete Baker on September 21, 2011, 2:27 pm

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The BBC reported yesterday on the sentencing, for four and a half years each, of three men, Paul Braniff, Michael Kearney and Eugene McKee, after they pleaded guilty to a single count of blackmail. They were part of a gang which had threatened the businessman with releasing a video of a “personal nature” to the press. The report adds Judge Lynch revealed that Braniff has almost 200 previous criminal convictions and that while most are for road traffic offences, he has been …

Martin McGuinness: “I wasn’t a member of the IRA when that happened…”

Pete Baker on September 19, 2011, 6:51 pm

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Sinn Féin’s candidate in the Irish Presidential election, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, told RTÉ’s This Week programme yesterday that “If people want to examine my record, let them examine my record. I stand on my record.” But not before McGuinness declined the invitation by Colm O’Mongain for full disclosure of his role in the Provisional IRA, and quoting Tony Blair, [but not Jonathan Powell? – Ed] and citing meetings with US Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, and, of course, Nelson Mandela. …

Kingsmills and why Northern Ireland did not end up like Bosnia

Turgon on September 16, 2011, 2:28 pm

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The Kingsmills families have had a number of meetings recently in their attempts to get justice for their relatives murdered by the IRA in 1976. They met David Ford who has apparently promised to press for closer cooperation with the RoI government over the matter. Danny Kennedy who has been involved in the campaign said: “Thirty-five years may have elapsed since that dreadful night and much has changed. One thing that has not changed is the determination of the victims’ …

The IRA campaign: not left wing but sectarian struggle

Turgon on September 4, 2011, 1:49 pm

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There has been a significant amount written about whether or not Sinn Fein is or was a truly left wing political party. In general those within republicanism who have opposed the current policies of SF have accused them of moving away from the political left. The problem is that neither Sinn Fein nor the IRA nor its assorted “left wing” critics have ever espoused a left wing ideology in any coherent fashion. Their analysis has always either ignored or dismissed …

Judge Smithwick: “I take a very, very strong view if he doesn’t [appear].”

Pete Baker on September 2, 2011, 10:59 pm

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The Irish government’s deadline target date for the Smithwick tribunal’s final report is unlikely to be met if former assistant Garda commissioners ignore the tribunal. From the RTÉ report Senior Counsel for the tribunal, Mary Laverty, said she was at a loss to explain why Mr Carty had not turned up. She said she was aware that he was working in Vienna, but the letters had been signed for with the same name and signature. Judge Smithwick said he was …

“He is merely behaving as an echo chamber for Sinn Fein exasperation…”

Pete Baker on September 1, 2011, 6:09 pm

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As we wait for the US court’s ruling on the release of the Boston College archive material, it’s worth noting that there have been a number of recent articles in which some interested parties have made their views known. A couple of weeks after a Boston Globe editorial called on the college to release the information requested, a joint op-ed from Ed Moloney and Anthony McIntyre appeared in the same paper. Accompanying it was a separate article from columnist Kevin Cullen arguing the same lines. …

Quote of the day: “Isn’t this where you used to meet Gerry Adams?”

Pete Baker on August 29, 2011, 12:17 am

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From David Hare’s spy drama Page Eight, broadcast tonight on BBC2. A senior MI5 officer, Johnny Worricker, played by Bill Nighy, is investigating the sudden death of his close friend, and Director General of MI5, Benedict Baron [Michael Gambon]. In the aftermath of the death, a journalist, Rollo Maverley [Ewen Bremner], who is also an MI5 operative paid to release information into the public domain, arranges a meeting at an anonymous motorway diner. The following exchange takes place. [Johnny Worricker]: ” A ‘Road House’? Rather a come-down isn’t it? …

“That is just the sort of old boy’s network…”

Pete Baker on August 26, 2011, 11:45 pm

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Given the latest controversy at the intersection of politics and policing, it’s worth pointing to Liam Clark’s comments on a previous disagreement over operational matters. From the Belfast Telegraph article In a modern democracy, politicians are expected to allow the police the operational independence to follow up whatever leads come up – even if many of them turn out to be false. The alternative would be for detectives to ring up senior politicians and to ask which suspects could be vouched for …

“We were painting out political statements…”

Pete Baker on August 17, 2011, 2:33 pm

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The North Belfast News provides an example from the New Lodge area in north Belfast of what happens when “the guerillas” become “the people in power”, and are “pilloried as ‘traitors’ by their young challengers”. From the North Belfast News The day after the clean-up fresh graffiti was daubed on the walls in the Carlisle area of the New Lodge. The slogans included ‘Oppose British Internment’, ‘Free Marian Price’ and ‘Support the POWs’. “We were painting out political statements and …

Quinn Group: “The perpetrators of this attack have been behind a series of incidents…”

Pete Baker on August 10, 2011, 6:08 pm

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RTÉ has a short interview with the Chief Executive of Quinn Group, Paul O’Brien, in the aftermath of an arson attack at his home in Ratoath, County Meath. It’s the latest incident in an ongoing campaign of serious vandalism targeted at the Quinn Group since the appointment of a share receiver and the removal of Seán Quinn as chairman in April this year. From the RTÉ report [Paul O’Brien] urged Mr Quinn to come out and publicly condemn the attacks and added …