10.3.2009
Reports obtained from:
(1) Irish Republican News, (2) The Guardian, (3) Irish News, (4) BBC News, (5) Pat Finucane Centre
Tuesday, 10 March, 2009
Monday, 9 March, 2009
Sunday, 8 March, 2009
Saturday, 7 March, 2009
Friday, 6 March, 2009
Friday-Thursday, 28 February-6 March, 2009
Flash: Continuity IRA claims Craigavon attack
By Irish Republican News
The Continuity IRA has claimed responsibility for shooting dead a member of the PSNI in Craigavon, County Armagh, last night.
In a coded message, the group said the shooting in Craigavon was carried out by its north Armagh battalion. It said: "As long as there is British involvement in Ireland, these attacks will continue."
The Continuity Army Council broke away from the Provisional IRA in 1986, but it was not until a decade later that the Continuity IRA (CIRA) became active under its control. Last night's attack was the organisation's first fatal attack on members of the British Crown Forces.
The victim was named as 48-year-old Stephen Paul Carroll from the Banbridge area who joined the RUC more than 20 years ago. The PSNI described the attack as a carefully planned ambush and have mounted a major security operation in the north Armagh area.
The shooting happened after a PSNI unit responded to a call-out to the nationalist Lismore Manor estate of Craigavon.
There is a sense of mounting crisis in the North following the latest killing, the third in the past 72 hours by republican armed groups. On Saturday night, two British soldiers were killed by members of the 'Real IRA'/Oglaigh na hEireann.
There has been considerable surprise that the breakaway groups, once thought to have been undermined by high levels of infiltration and electronic surveillance, have retained the capacity to mount such attacks.
There is now concern within the political establishment that a co-ordinated campaign may be being attempted by the previously disparate IRA factions, and unspoken fears that a new phase of the conflict may be underway.
In a wave of shocked reaction, the PSNI Chief High Orde held a joint press conference with the First and Deputy First Ministers, the DUP's Peter Robinson and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, at the Stormont Assembly today.
The First and Deputy First Ministers were again forced to postpone a visit to the US following the latest attack.
Hugh Orde said the armed groups were "criminal psychopaths" who would not succeed.
Mr Robinson said: "This is a battle of wills between the political class and the evil gunmen - the political class will win."
Mr McGuinness said the republican actions would be in vain: "These people are traitors to the island of Ireland, they have betrayed the political desires, hopes and aspirations of all of the people who live on this island."
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2009
Flash: Breakaway groups claim base attack
By Irish Republican News
Claims of responsibility have been made in the name of both the Real IRA and Oglaigh na hEireann for a gun attack on a British Army base on Saturday night which left two British soldiers dead.
Two soldiers were shot dead while in full combat fatigues outside Massareene Army base in County Antrim. Two other soldiers and two service workers were also injured in the attack, which occurred as a food delivery was being made at the base.
It is the first attack on members of the Crown forces in over six months and the first death at a British Army base in over six years. Prior to Saturday night, a British soldier had not been killed on active service in Ireland for over 12 years.
The incident came days after PSNI police chief Hugh Orde warned that an armed action was likely and just 48 hours after it was revealed that an infamous Special Forces military unit, linked to a series of state killings, had been drafted back into the North of Ireland.
Support for republican armed groups has been growing steadily in recent months as the political process has appeared to stall and founder. Hugh Orde had repeatedly warned that the various republican groups were becoming more organised and effective, and that an attack was inevitable.
However, Orde had predicted a strike against a relatively 'soft' target such as the PSNI itself. Instead, the attack came against highly trained British soldiers at a heavily fortified military base defended by specialist armed security guards.
Initial reports of an exchange of gunfire have been denied by British officials. It is now believed that the guards on duty were disarmed by an initial, long-range burst of gunfire before the IRA unit made its assault, resulting in the two bursts of gunfire reported by local residents.
The British Prime minister Gordon Brown said today he was "shocked and outraged" at what he said was "an evil and cowardly attack" against "soldiers serving their country".
But there was also shock within the British establishment that the Volunteers involved had managed to breach the base's tight defences and, in particular, that there had been no return of fire. There was also concern that the number of casualties and fatalities could have been greater.
In the claim made in the name of the Real IRA's South Antrim brigade, the group said it made "no apology for targeting British soldiers" while they remained in occupation in the Six Counties.
The caller, using a codeword, also said that the two food workers had been targeted as "collaborators of British rule in Ireland".
One of the injured workers was Polish, and there was some controversy that migrant workers may be unaware of the dangers involved in providing services to the British Army in Ireland.
None of those wounded were said to be in a serious condition, and all are expected to make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, a caller who claimed the attack for Oglaigh na hEireann said it was made in the name of "the Volunteers of the hunger strike martyrs battalion" and in response to the return to Ireland of Britain's 'elite' Special Reconnaissance Regiment.
Deputy First Minister, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, a former member of the [Provisional] IRA, said there should be no return to conflict.
"I supported the IRA during the conflict, I myself was a member of the IRA but that war is over," said the Sinn Fein MP.
"Now the people responsible for that last night's incident are clearly signalling that they want to resume or restart that war."
Ruairi O Bradaigh, president of Republican Sinn Fein, said that his party had long warned that while the British government and British occupation troops remain in Ireland "there will be Irish people to oppose their presence here".
He said "everyone regretted loss of life" but added that the "hard realities of the situation in Ireland must be faced".
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams described the shooting as "an attack on the peace process". He said it was wrong as well as counter-productive to republican goals.
"Irish republicans and democrats have a duty to oppose this and to defend the peace process. Sinn Fein has a strategy to bring about an end to British rule in our country by peaceful and democratic means."
"There should be an end to actions like the one in Antrim last night. The popular will is for peaceful and democratic change."
"Sinn Fein has a responsibility to be consistent. The logic of this is that we support the police in the apprehension of those involved in last nights attack."
"The police also have a responsibility to give leadership and to behave at all times in a transparent and accountable manner. The British Government has a duty to uphold the new political arrangement and the peace process."
"I particularly want to appeal to republicans once again for calm, thoughtful and decisive leadership. "
"The peace process was built against the odds and not least because of the willingness of republicans to take risks and to be strategic and long sighted."
"There are elements within Unionism and within the British system who do not want the peace process to achieve its objectives. Our responsibility is to defend the peace process and the progress that has been made to achieving national and democratic rights."
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2009
Flash: Two dead in attack on British Army base
By Irish Republican News
British soldiers in County Antrim have come under fire in a gun attack on a military base.
There were two fatalities and four other casualties in the attack on Massereene Army base in Antrim, 16 miles north of Belfast. Early reports indicate that at least four British military personnel have been casualties in the attack.
The British Army's 38 Engineer Regiment are currently stationed at the base. The shots were fired at around 10pm.
It is understod that there were two bursts of fire in an exchange of gunfire. A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence described the shooting as a "drive-by" attack.
One witness who lives near the base told he looked to the sky after hearing what he thought were fireworks.
He added: "Then I heard a lot of loud bangs again, only it was a lot more than there was initially - maybe between 10 and 20. Then the siren at the Army barracks went off."
The attack followed news this week of the redeployment of the British Army's Special Forces to the north of Ireland at the request of PSNI Chief Hugh Orde.
Earlier today, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams had warned Orde not to "open up the old agenda".
"He has the popular support of the vast majority of republicans, provided he does the right thing," Mr Adams said.
Republican Sinn Fein and Eirigi also denounced this week's British military deployment.
Eirigi spokesman Breandan Mac Cionnaith said: "Eirigi makes no apology for calling on all those who remain opposed to the British occupation of the Six Counties to refocus themselves on the task of building popular resistance to that occupation."
No group has yet claimed responsiblity for the shooting, but early speculation has pointed to the relatively new Oglaigh na hEireann [IRA]. The group is believed to consist mainly of former members of the Provisional IRA.
Last month, Oglaigh na hEireann abandoned a bomb intended for a British army base at Ballykinlar in County Down short of its target.
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2009
Covert army unit played role in Menezes killing
Anti-terror troops deployed in Northern Ireland present at Tube shooting
By Henry McDonald, Ireland editor The Observer
A controversial covert British Army unit that has been deployed in Northern Ireland to counter dissident republican terrorists was involved in the security operation that ended in the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, sources have revealed.
Soldiers of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment were present in London in July 2005 on the day Scotland Yard firearms specialists shot dead the innocent Brazilian at Stockwell underground station, believing he was a terrorist.
Although officially the regiment was not "deployed" that day, its soldiers provided "technical support" for Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist operation, the Observer has learnt.
Reports last week of the regiment's deployment in Northern Ireland caused a political storm, with Sinn Féin deputy first minister Martin McGuinness saying it was "stupid and dangerous" and adding that it had "shaken his confidence" in Northern Ireland's police chief.
Sir Hugh Orde, chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said he had been provided with a "tiny number of specialists" to counter the threat from dissident republicans, which he said was "severe".
Security sources said the regiment was formed over four years ago as a "roving" surveillance unit. "It has a global role and can be sent all over the world to work alongside existing military personnel on the ground. It is basically a new name for the amalgamation of the 14 Intelligence and Security Group - or 'the Det' [Detachment], as it was known - with bits and pieces of other special forces," the sources said.
"They work on close-quarter covert surveillance. The surveillance equipment they have is out of this world. It is the best kit in the world. They will be able to provide camera feeds from a suspect's home and be able to watch it miles away in a base."
The sources said the regiment, smaller than the SAS, was about 150 strong, the size of a full company.
Orde's warning of the dissident threat arises partly from their acquisition of new bomb-making techniques. The threat level was raised after a dissidents' bomb was defused in Castlewellan, Co Down, last month. Security sources this weekend told the Observer that the 300lb device was fitted with an extra "anti-handling" system that made it dangerous for Army technical officers to defuse.
The Special Reconnaissance Regiment has been called in because of the PSNI's lack of manpower and experience in anti-terrorist surveillance operations.
The revelation that a company of undercover soldiers is operational in Northern Ireland will cause huge embarrassment for Sinn Féin and provide a propaganda coup for the dissidents. The Real IRA's political allies, the 32-County Sovereignty Committee, said the deployment of the regiment came as no surprise, and showed that Britain had "failed to pacify Ireland".
The Observer has also learnt that Orde failed to inform the Northern Ireland Policing Board's chairman, Sir Des Rea, about his decision to bring in the undercover regiment.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009
Special forces never left, says ex-spymaster
By Barry McCaffrey, Irish News, Belfast
A FORMER British army spymaster said last night that anyone who believed that British army “special forces” were not active in Northern Ireland was “living in cloud-cuckoo-land”.
Martin Ingram was a staff sergeant with the British army’s Force Research Unit (Fru) in Northern Ireland for more than 12 years.
The British army whistle-blower is understood to have played a key role in exposing the murky world of the north’s intelligence agencies, including the state’s involvement in the murder of its own citizens.
In the late 1990s the Fru was revealed to have been involved in more than a dozen murders through its agent Brian Nelson and in passing on the personal details of hundreds of nationalists to the UDA.
At Nelson’s trial his Fru commanding officer, Brigadier Gordon Kerr, pictured right, claimed the agent had saved hundreds of lives.
That claim was later discredited by Britain’s leading police officer Sir John Stevens.
There was speculation last night that Mr Kerr was now in charge of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR).
Ingram is also credited as having helped to expose former IRA man Freddie Scappaticci as the British army agent Stakeknife.
Responding to Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde’s announcement that he had asked for special forces to be deployed to the north, Ingram said: “Anyone who thinks that the special forces ever left Northern Ireland is living in cloud-cuckoo-land.
“They never went away. They have always had the capability to mount any operation they want here at a moment’s notice.”
The SRR was set up in 2005 in the latest in a long line of name changes to the north’s intelligence agencies.
It amalgamated with the 14th Intelligence Company, which previously operated in the north throughout the Troubles alongside the Fru.
While the Fru ran informers within republican and loyalist paramilitaries, the 14th Intelligence Company and now the SRR carry out surveillance operations, including the bugging of suspects’ cars and houses.
There are thought to be around 150 MI5 officers based at the British agency’s new state-of-the-art headquarters at Palace Barracks near Holywood, Co Down.
The Fru, now known as the Joint Support Group, is thought to have around 50 undercover soldiers in the north carrying out human intelligence operations handling informers.
It is estimated that up to 20 members of the SRR unit will be deployed to the north in the near future.
A British army spokesman last night refused to comment on claims that Mr Kerr was now the head of the SRR.
Copyright © Irish News 2009
Orde risks 'republican support'
By BBC News
Gerry Adams has said the chief constable risks losing the support of the vast majority of republicans.
"He has the popular support of the vast majority of republicans, provided he does the right thing," the Sinn Fein president said.
Mr Adams said that to "open up the old agenda" was "not the way forward".
His comments come after Sir Hugh Orde requested the Special Reconnaissance Regiment's help to gather intelligence on dissident republicans.
The chief constable said he had asked for some extra support to deal with the threats posed by a small number of what he described as "extremely dangerous people".
Sir Hugh said he would discuss the move with the Policing Board next week.
'Opposition'
In a statement on Saturday, Sinn Fein said it had spoken with the chief constable and "conveyed to him in no uncertain terms" its opposition "to this deployment and indeed the manner in which this has entered the public domain".
It said it had also been in contact with the British and Irish governments and would "continue in the time ahead to make them and others aware of the very real concerns and consequences of this retrograde decision".
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7930308.stm
Copyright © 2009 BBC MMIX
Will Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) organise and direct murders?
By Pat Finucane Centre
News that the British Army Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0306/1224242371943.html is to be deployed in the North has raised a number of intriguing questions.
Does the regimental command of the SRR include former members of the FRU?
There is speculation online that the SRR is in fact commanded by (now promoted) Brigadier Gordon Kerr. (google SRR and Kerr) It does appear that Kerr continued his special forces activity in Iraq though it would be truely incredible if he were to reappear on the stage here. Highly unlikely. Kerr, who gave evidence at the Brian Nelson trial as Colonel J, was implicated in the murder of Pat Finucane and others. His unit not only tolerated but directed and encouraged loyalist murders. According to media reports the SRR is being deployed at the request of MI5...according to Judge Cory the same agency withheld information regarding the murder of Pat Finucane.See MI5 section on PFC website ( www.patfinucanecentre.org/policing.html )
More recently MI5 officers have been linked to the torture of British citizens held in secret prisons. see http://www.reprieve.org.uk/
See this BBC link from April 2005 reporting the creation of the SRR http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4412907.stm
Copyright © Pat Finucane Centre 2009
Friday-Thursday, 28 February-6 March, 2009
Re-Militarisation revealed
By Irish Republican News
British Army special forces soldiers are back in the north of Ireland, according to PSNI Chief Hugh Orde.
Special British forces, such as the SAS, operated throughout the conflict and were responsible for multiple assassinations, shoot-to-kill ambushes and collusion with unionist paramilitaries.
Members of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment have now returned at Orde's request.
It is claimed that the soldiers will not be on the streets, but will work behind the scenes.
Despite the highly publicised end of 'Operation Banner' -- the British Army's role in military operations in Ireland -- almost two years ago, several thousand British troops remain permanently stationed in the North.
Long-standing suspicions that Special forces were now working from the HQ of British military intelligence (MI5) in Holywood, Belfast, have now been confirmed.
Deputy First Minister and Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness has said it was the British Army's forces that were a "major threat".
He was responding to the comments of Hugh Orde, that the deployment was a response to an increased republican threat.
"The history of the north has shown that many of these forces have been as much a danger to the community as any other group," said Mr McGuinness.
He said the decision was "stupid and dangerous" and "shaken his confidence" in the PSNI chief. Sinn Fein has raised the matter with the British Prime Minister and the Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
Yesterday [Thursday], there was anger among nationalist members of the Policing Board after it appeared that the board had been deceived by PSNI chief.
The SDLP said the decision to send in the regiment "raises the issue of who is in control".
"At lunchtime on Thursday, the PSNI were telling the Policing Board the British Army would not be deployed save for bomb squad support," said a statement.
"But by teatime we learn that British Army recon units are deployed.
"There is an immediate issue of who made this decision, when it was made and what the PSNI did not know or knew and did not tell the Policing Board."
But the DUP backed the deployment of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, and said it was a national [British] security issue and not a matter for the local population.
The announcement of the return of special forces followed the declaration by Orde that the "threat level" in the North was "severe" -- to mean he is expecting increased activity by republican armed groups.
Republicans viewed the statement, as well as an announcement of an increased deployment of British bomb-disposal teams, as disingenuous and propogandistic.
The statements were also linked by nationalists to efforts by so-called 'securocrats' to justify continued high expenditures in the face of mounting financial pressure.
Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey said reports of a raised threat level suggested elements of the Crown forces were attempting to talk up the 'dissident' threat to justify more hardline policing and remilitarisation.
"For me there is clearly not a lot of substance to that, it's a play on words and it's giving fear to the public," he said, warning against an agenda of 'slipping back to the bad old ways'.
"Like many others, I was a victim of so-called British Special Forces, who colluded with Unionist Murder Gangs in attempts to murder me and my family. There can be no place for these types of groups within any civic and non-political policing service."
Republican Sinn Fein said the move confirmed that the previous announcement of the end of 'Operation Banner' was meaningless.
"Alex Maskey cannot feign indignation about the return of these malign forces, given his party's open and unambivalent support for those who have made this decision," a spokesman said.
"For British prime minister Gordon Brown to say in Washington that 'Ireland is now at peace' is but a fairy tale.
"British troops never left the Occupied Six Counties and now reinforcements are arriving to shore up Unionist and British interest to the detriment of Irish interests and Irish freedom."
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2009