Excellent coverage of British collusion in acts of international terrorism in.. THE IRISH DAILY MAIL
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rights, freedoms and repression |
other press 
Sunday December 03, 2006 20:12
by Harry Wells - The Well, Well, Well Foundation
Not on Daily Mail web page for some reason
Congratulations to the Irish Daily Mail, who have put the other newspapers to shame, by their initial story and follow up coverage of the story of British collusion with acts of unionist paramilitary violence.
As the stories are not on the Daily Mail website and just so the rest of the media can see the story it is ignoring – here is the story as laid out in the Irish Daily Mail.
The Irish Independent put the story on page 17 on Thursday. While the Irish Times did a half page that day, it put the story in its ‘In Short’ column (plus a report of a speech in the Seanad) on Friday. On Saturday the Irish ‘newspaper of reference’ had nothing, apart from some letters from flabbergasted correspondents wondering why the media was not making more of this story of ‘international terrorism’.
(Wonder why the story is not on the Daily Mail website, though? The www.dailymail.ie webpage goes to www.dailymail.co.uk. It couldn't be that the typical Daily Mail reader in Britain might be put off by these stories, could it?)
Page 1 of 2 page spread Nov 30 2006
Page 2 of 2 page spread Nov 30 2006
Follow up on Sunday Dec 3 2006
2 page spread - click on first four graphics above to make them readable
Comments (14 of 14)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14Again the Irish Daily Mail blazes a distinct trail. In the 1930s the London Daily Mail was Hitler’s biggest British asset. Congratulations to the Irish Daily Mail.
The Blueshirts formed a constituent part of Fine Gael, when it was founded in 1936. After that O'Duffy went to Spain to fight for Franco. He came back with more troops than he set out with, a unique feat of military ingenuity. His troops were involved in one battle, with other fascist troops on their own side. O'Duffy's crowd fired first.
Mail story on Fine Gael and Blueshirt founder, and first Garda Commissioner, Eoin O'Duffy
The holes in some current political imprisonments(processes) are huge- but the first thing
that strikes one about this is:- that the headlines are screaming- and empty vessels make the most
noise?
So why is it not given coverage in the other papers.
To use a 'Bertie-ism'- how bizarre.
btw:- Sir Reginald Empey is a bit annoyed at Mr Peter Hain's bullying propensities.
(breaking news- http://www.ireland.com)
Irish Times 2nd December 2006
COLLUSION IN LOYALIST ATROCITIES
Madam, - Am I missing something? A parliamentary report finds very strong evidence that the security forces of a neighbouring friendly nation were involved in terrorist bombings and mass murders committed within this jurisdiction, and further that the government and authorities of this friendly nation refused to cooperate with the parliamentary investigation.
Where is the national shock, where is the official outrage, where is the government anger? Our administration should be reacting with something approaching apoplexy; the news should be dominating the print, radio and television media for the next month. Where is the recall of the Irish ambassador for urgent consultations, where is the calling in of the British ambassador to hear the Government's anger and outrage? Instead we get measured expressions of "concern", and the almost routine media coverage of a story which in other jurisdictions and circumstances would be taken as justifying the immediate severing of diplomatic relations.
Imagine the French government learned that members of the German security forces had organised and carried out bombings and mass murders in France, and the German authorities had shrugged their shoulders in indifference when asked to explain the allegations. Or that the Canadian parliament uncovered evidence that CIA had bombed Canadian cities and murdered Canadian citizens. Either would provoke an international crisis. Yet in Ireland the reaction of both media and government is muted to say the least.- Yours, etc,
BRIAN MACGABHANN, Galway.
Madam, - The Oireachtas report citing widespread collusion between British state forces and loyalist murderers should now compel the Government to pursue the British state through the European courts in order to get it to reveal its murky past. The Government should also demand the withdrawal of the decorations given by Queen Elizabeth to the RUC and the UDR.
These organisations were awarded the George Cross and the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross respectively for services to the British government. Now that we know that each force was deeply involved with murdering, not only their Catholic neighbours, but also citizens of a separate sovereign state, these bravery awards are not only ill-deserved, but an insult to all the victims of their murderous activities. - Yours, etc,
GORDON KENNEDY, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.
Madam, - I was a showband musician from 1964 to 1974. The main reason our band - Dee Leydon and the Powerman - broke up was because we reluctantly decided we could no longer play in Northern Ireland.
There were stories circulating on both sides, Catholic and loyalist, of a plot to plant a bomb on a showband van which would explode south of the Border.
I and many other musicians were deeply saddened but not surprised by the Miami Showband massacre of July 30th, 1975. - Yours, etc,
JOE McDONAGH, Chapel Street, Sligo.
Irish Times readers can see an important story - even if the Irish Times can't
Apart from its readers the Irish times did not return to the story of attacks by a foreign government on Irish citizens on December 2nd - who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Congrats to the Irish Independent for grouping the story with others of equal importance on its front page last Thursday - see graphic - and for featuring it prominently, on page 17.
See: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/6423.
In the old days, when the IT was a bit more bolshy, the authorities took a keen interest. These days this kind of story is just a one day wonder. Ignore it and it will go away.
In short, this is not the sort of story the Irish Times would want to upset its readers with (Dec 1st 06)
Irish Independent Nov 30th - front page splash for story of international terrorism
Rest assured, there is no need to question the good sense of the Editor of the Irish Times these days
As Kevin has nothing good to say about his editors, if I was his current one, I would watch out....
The subs and the lawyers in the Indo are relieved when Kevin insults the dead. It is a change from having to listen to Kev's protests, as they remove his libels on the living, very few of whom, apart from 'Sir Anthony' O'Reilly, Kevin has a good word to say.
From Village Magazine, Nov 30 2006
Major Myarse attempts to put the "renegade" Gageby in his place
Justice for the Forgotten have a tough job. The fact that they had to explain carefully to a man
who is Taoiseach, (alone by his ability to juggle his corruptions) ,should be enough for any
survivor of atrocity , be it StarDust, Omagh, Dublin- Monaghan.
There will be no answers for these people because there is no idea of the individual
within the locus of the State. Political pawns and the need to bury anything that
effects the vision of a peaceful globalised fully functional Northern Ireland will not
be attended to.
Ask the Mc Cartney family, the Mc Kevitt family and the other families whose individual
lives were forever changed by the willingness of this State to collude with the British
administration for a joint policy which discounts the individual.
The only thing that matters is the 'perception' of the processes that are delivering
peace. That perception is bolstered by the media , we are watching the creation of history.
However the flat disregard for ordinary people in this country be it through the service
of the State ,or in the service of the vested interests- iis manifestly clear that this present
government is only interested in the 'few'- not the people.
Condolences+ to the families.
{Peace.Prosperity.Progress}= PPP= Globalisation.Poverty.Injustice.
The second headline this morning on tabloid telly was the loyalist collusion and Mr Ahern
always with his eye on voting patterns- knowing the 1% between him and a prospective
opposition is 'quite narrow'- has decided to top the agenda with it.
The other reports are the annual budget splurge- which excersises so many little
irish journalists. yes - construction is responsible for the biggest tax take- therefore
keep the price of land up- reduce social housing- crony lobbies etc etc.
Its not politics is shite.
Its about the money and how we view the twins shem and shaun of the Bush axis of evil.
So the killings have gone up the agenda. wonder how mickey feels about that -
The Toaiseach meets the British Prime Minister, who will not order cooperation with Irish authorities seeking information on acts of international terrorism committed by British forces against Irish citizens. The Taoiseach decides that it is something he should mention in a private tete a tete. Then he pairs of as the British Prime Minister’s dinner guest, to be shown in a BBC broadcast of Master Chef
Congratulations though, to the Irish Times. After not mentioning the subject at all yesterday, collusion struggles back on to the news agenda today. The slaughter of Irish citizens is up there with Master Chef.
Irish Times Dec 5th 2006
Ahern meets Blair in London by Frank Millar, London Editor
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern met British prime minister Tony Blair in Downing Street last night to review progress in the ongoing effort to implement the St Andrews Agreement and restore devolved government to Northern Ireland.
However, tensions in the peace process had to compete on this occasion with stresses in the Number 10 kitchen, as the three finalists for a new series of the BBC's Master Chef programme prepared a course each for the two leaders.
Mr Blair immediately chose Mr Ahern as his dinner guest when he agreed to host the filming of the programme due for transmission next year.
The Taoiseach had signalled his intention to raise the continuing controversy about alleged British security force collusion in attacks in the Republic during their prior one-to-one meeting, while Mr Blair updated Mr Ahern on his meeting last Friday with Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
Mr Ahern confirmed yesterday that the two governments have not yet resolved the standoff between the declared Sinn Féin and DUP positions on the question of the modality for a new policing and justice ministry at Stormont and a timetable for the devolution of those powers.
However, senior British sources indicated some optimism that a solution can be found in time to permit Mr Adams to call a Sinn Féin ardfheis to resolve the policing issue ahead of Northern Ireland Assembly elections scheduled for March. At the same time the Taoiseach again said he was confident that Sinn Féin's difficulties about the role of the British security service, MI5, and its relationship with the PSNI could be resolved.
He was speaking after a reception held in his honour by the mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, Tim Ahern, whose family come from Cork and whose daughter Roberta - known as "Bertie" to her friends - is his mayoress.
Bertie brings up collusion with his 'Master Chef' dinner companion
COLLUSION IN LOYALIST KILLINGS
Irish Times December 6th 2006
Madam, - May I express my thanks to Brian MacGabhann and Gordon Kennedy (December 2nd) for raising the issue of British state collusion with terrorism? It is indeed shameful that this sovereign State should be so meek in this instance. Where, too, are our opinion makers?
I suggest that, at the very least, a petition should be published in our national newspapers, deploring such behaviour and calling on both governments to give a legitimate account of their activities to their citizens - and particularly to the victims of those atrocities. - Is mise,
MÁIRE NÍ LORCÁIN, Golden, Co Tipperary.
More Irish Times readers asking pointed questions - of the Irish Times
While the silence continues in the Irish Times, let us turn our attention to the peculiar place that is the Irish Independent, in relation to this story.
The story was announced, and virtually buried, on page 17 in the Irish Independent on November 30th – see graphic. It can’t be found on the Irish Independent web page for that day’s edition:
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/index.php3?ca=9&...14944
Today, December 7th, there is a letter in the Irish Independent claiming inaccurately that there was “collusion on all sides”. The writer, Ciaran Masterson, refers to and criticised a letter from ”Gordon Kennedy (Letters, December 4)”. That letter is not headlined on the Irish Independent letters page for the day in question:
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/index.php3?ca=53...14966
However, the letter can be found buried under another letter, under the headline: ”Yes, Dublin Airport reflects this shabby Ireland”:
”The Oireachtas report citing widescale collusion between British state forces and loyalist murderers should not only compel our government to pursue the British State through the European courts in order to get it to reveal its murky past, they should also demand the withdrawal of the decorations given by the British Queen to the RUC and the UDR.
These organisations were awarded the George Cross and the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross respectively for services to the British government.
GORDON KENNEDY,
GLASNEVIN, D 9”
It is a cut version of the letter published in the Irish Times on December 2nd – printed higher up this page.
In comparison to the wholesale collusion with and direction of unionist paramilitary organisations in the North by various elements in the RUC, UDR, MI5, British Army, Ciaran Masterson points to one Garda convicted of supplying information to the IRA and says ”another garda was involved in the killing of two innocent RUC officers, Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan.” An enquiry is ongoing in relation to the latter allegation. It will probably be found to be bogus. More interestingly, however, the same “innocent” Chief Superintendent Harry Breen was alleged by former RUC-UVF member John Weir to be fully aware of Weir’s activities:
”While serving in the RUC, John Weir colluded with the UVF in at least 10 murders in Ulster in the mid-1970s. In an interview with Frank Connolly, he claims high-ranking RUC officers knew about the activities of the loyalist gang that killed at least 76 people between 1972 and 1977.
John Weir served 12 years in jail after admitting to his role in the murder of Catholic shopkeeper William Strathearn in 1977. The former RUC officer colluded with the loyalist paramilitary UVF gang in at least 10 murders in Mid Ulster in the 1970s. He claims his superior officers in the RUC were fully informed of the activities of the UVF gang that killed at least 76 people between 1972 and 1977.
The gang was responsible for the 1974 bombings in Dublin and Monaghan, the deaths of members of the Miami showband in 1975 and more than 20 other attacks north and south of the border. Operating from a farm in Co Armagh, it included other serving RUC and UDR officers as well as the notorious UVF killers Robin 'the Jackal' Jackson and RJ Kerr.
Last week, an independent report into the deaths of 76 people in the mid-1970s said ballistic and other evidence supported Weir's claims that senior RUC officers, army intelligence officers and high-ranking members of the British government were aware of the gang's activities. The report also confirmed the involvement of RUC and UDR members in the killing of Catholics from as early as 1973.
According to Weir, among those who knew of the activities of the gang were RUC chief inspector Harry Breen and chief superintendent Brian Fitzsimmons, head of the Newry-based RUC special branch. Breen was killed along with RUC officer Bob Buchanan by the IRA in an attack in Co Louth in 1989. The attack is currently the subject of an official Irish government inquiry into alleged collusion between the IRA and gardaí. Fitzsimmons died with 24 other senior security-force personnel when their helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre, Scotland in 1994.
…….
Weir admitted he participated in the killing after his RUC colleague William McCaughey had a nervous breakdown and confessed to his involvement.
"I was given 14 years. During my trial I said that high-ranking police officers and special-branch men were aware of all of our activities. Inspector Harry Breen knew all about our activities. He was not for one minute directly linked with the UVF. He was doing his job as a policeman and carrying out official policy. But he could not say that publicly.
"Brian Fitzsimmons knew all about it. So did Inspector Earl McDowell. I was approached by high-ranking army officers and asked to do certain jobs but I refused as I thought that if I carried out certain things then I would get the chop as well.
"I recall that after I told chief inspector Breen about my involvement in the Strathearn murder, that he told me to forget about it," he said.”
Full article on: http://www.villagemagazine.ie/article.asp?sid=1&sud=37&...=3394
This story of collusion is one that is hard to find on the Irish Independent web pages – because it is either obscured (on the letters page) or simply not on the web page in the first place. Is this deliberate policy or merely indifference to the story of the British state terrorism in Ireland – or both?
The Irish Times record is better, but not much – in that the odd perplexed letter writer is allowed occasionally to voice their confusion.
It is a story of news suppression.
Buried in hard copy, censored from soft copy - Irish Independent on British state terrorism
The Commission of investigation which had hoped to publish the findings tomorrow
have stated that they are to apply for an extension during sittings in the Oireachtas
on Tuesday- this will be the seventh extension.
The report is at: http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/9475...omnet
Justice for the Forgotten are reportedly very upset.
The Irish Times refers to the bombings as a tragedy- surely it was an atrocity?
No no no let's not get carried away now -it was just a "tragedy" .... if we called it an atrocity that would imply perpetrators who deserve to be punished. But since that would open up too many cans of worms let's just stick to our polite Dublin 4 euphemisms. When "security forces" or other state agencies are involved in the killing of people it's always a "tragedy" never an "atrocity".
The term "atrocity" is reserved for incidents like the Omagh bombing which has been pinned on "dissident republicans" but which also seems to have had an unhealthy amount of undercover secret service involvement ... I wonder how long it will take for the truth about that one to emerge ?
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80134
Irish Times reports that Northern secretary Hain will co-operate in inquiries
into collusion.
Peter Hain also reminded the representatives at Stormont that the assembly will be
dissolved if the outstanding issues on nominations are not resolved by January.
However: The issue of collusion has been investigated and documented
specifically in relation to The Dublin -Monaghan bombings, where a
free-lance journalist has claimed he knows the names of members
the security forces involved in that atrocity.
The Oireachtas enquiry has been extended for the seventh
time , much to the upset of the 'Justice for the Forgotten ' group.
Both of these stories are in the breaking news section of the Irish Times
on http://www.ireland.com.
In relation specifically to the Dublin- Monaghan bombings the Irish Times'
editor allowed the writer/journalist to refer to the Dublin- Monaghan atrocities as
'tragedies'.
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