Colombia, the BBC and the murder of Pat Finucane

national | miscellaneous | news report Saturday June 15, 2002 02:32 by infliction

A Play in three parts

Colombia, the BBC and the murder of Pat Finucane A Play in three parts

Colombia, the BBC and the murder of Pat Finucane
A Play in three parts

Act 1

Thursday am June 13 2002

Editorial meetings in two leading quality newspapers.

The Guardian newspaper and the Irish Times prepare to run front page stories for their Friday editions on the Stevens inquiry into allegations of security force collusion in the murder of Pat Finucane. ‘Stevens report to say RUC collusion was rife’ headlines the Irish Times. ‘Collusion ‘at heart’ of Finucane killing’ claims the Guardian. Both stories (and others expected to run over the coming weekend in various Sunday newspapers) are published in advance of a BBC Panorama programme to be broadcast next Wednesday which is expected to contain further details surrounding the Stevens Inquiry including interviews with former members of the Force Research Unit. The findings of the Inquiry itself are expected in the coming weeks. Time to batten down the hatches at the PSNI and British Army press offices. Warnings of strong gales ahead.

Act 2 Thursday pm June 13 2002

PSNI HQ

Enter stage left the security correspondent of the BBC Brian Rowen. The six o’ clock BBC news reveals startling new revelations of IRA involvement with FARC guerrillas in Colombia. Not only were the IRA training FARC- the IRA have been testing new weapons in the jungle. According to ‘security sources’ (Special Branch/M15/M16) the co-operation was ‘probably’ brokered through Cuba. Reference is made to West Belfast republican Evelyn Glenholmes who, ‘security sources believe… spent five years in Cuba’. The said Ms Glenholmes speaks fluent Spanish according to security sources. Unionists immediately demand their pound of flesh. The Daily Telegraph, that traditional friend of the peace process, is outraged. The playwright denies that any linkage. No, not the alleged links between Farc and the IRA, but between the damning revelations regarding the Stevens Inquiry and the timing of the latest ‘security assessment’ on Colombia from the same people who directed the murder of Pat Finucane. Purely a coincidence you understand.

Many questions remain unanswered. According to the BBC the latest revelations concern activities alleged to have occurred ‘prior’ to the arrest last year of three Irishmen in Colombia. Does this mean that British Intelligence and RUC Special Branch was aware of this for some years but decided not to release such damning information into the public domain? An extraordinary allegation surely. Or were British Intelligence and RUC Special Branch blissfully unaware why known republicans would disappear for months on end only to return sporting deeply suspicious suntans con un poco espanol? The mind boggles.

Act 3 June 14 am The Office of the Secretary of State Dr John Reid

As the plot thickens the BBC warns that ‘the peace process is once again skating on thin ice’ as a result of this latest security assessment. Dr Reid, mindful of unionist demands that the IRA be punished, is reminded of an article in the London Independent of April 28 from Ireland correspondent David Mc Kittrick. According to the article, "Both the government and senior police officers in Northern Ireland are convinced that top officers are working against the peace process, according to authoritative sources in Belfast. They believe that a number of officers have been planting exaggerated and distorted newspaper stories with the aim of disrupting the process." Meanwhile the BBC Panorama programme is expected to be broadcast next Wednesday if the MoD refrain from taking out a High Court injunction. Brian Rowen, security correspondent, would be wise to keep his diary free for Tuesday. Who knows what revelation the spin doctors will come up with next?