Last nights BBC Spotlight showed no consideration whatsoever for the families of those bereaved when flashing images of bodies at roadsides – or to the family of Denis Donaldson.
The showing of this gratuitous imagery was unnecessary and has upset several families who contacted RFJ last night and this morning with some deeply distressed. The programme makers did not contact the families.
Two families have also questioned the agenda of the programme in that it did not focus on the role of MI5 Secret Service, British army intelligence and RUC/PSNI Special Branch (C3) in facilitating the killings through their agents such as Freddie Scappaticci when showing imagery of their loved ones.
If anything the programme studiously sidestepped these central and evidential issues instead choosing to focus on Gerry Adams purely on the word of a completely anonymous figure citing opinion rather than actual testimony.
The same families rightly question the central role of former head of RUC Special Branch Raymond White in the programme discussing the use of agents completely unchallenged despite the wealth of evidence from Stevens, Cory, to De Silva of Special Branch illegality in this area.
It was beyond farcical given that Raymond White has not only refused to cooperate with the Police Ombudsman, who is currently investigating a number of killings including those used in the imagery referred to. He has also, through the NI Retired Police Officers Association (NIRPOA), initiated legal action against the Police Ombudsman over the recent findings of collusion in the Loughinisland report. Are they collusion deniers?
But White’s participation and assistance in last night’s programme might be better understood in that there is a report due soon by the Police Ombudsman that will include the role of the PSNI’s C3 in deliberately exposing Denis Donaldson, likely in the knowledge that he would eventually be killed.
The programme did have one credible contributor in that Sam Pollock, former Chief Executive at the Police Ombudsman, effectively laid an element of culpability for the eventual killing of Denis at the door of the PSNI.
What is quite extraordinary and somewhat unprecedented is that ‘Martin’ just decided to contact the BBC and reveal himself.
In the world of we can ‘neither confirm or deny’ – the policy of NCND – just how did the BBC verify ‘Martin’s’ claims?
Surely ‘Martin’s’ wholly unorthodox approach would have been cause for concern for his PSNI handlers within C3, who would have presumably brought this to a halt; or was he a figment in a classic counter-insurgency psych-op sanctioned by C3 and others that some in the BBC were only to happy to buy wholesale? Hence the references to how ‘we won the intelligence war’ peppered with countless informers and agents. It was a classic case of getting your story in first, which should tell us all what we need to know.
Most ridiculous was the claim by White that they brought about the peace process through agents when in fact quite the opposite was the case with the term ‘securocrat’ coming into the lexicon given the volume of overt and covert activity against Sinn Féin’s peace strategy in particular from within the RUC.
However, on a lighter note and amidst all, we were treated to a rollercoaster of emotions when former RUC/PSNI ACC Alan McQuillan claimed he wanted a ‘low key’ raid at Sinn Fein’s Stormont office.
He takes the ‘Comical Ali’ award.
Yes,comical Ali
Reminds me of Simon Hamilton a couple of weeks ago telling us that “Northern Ireland” would become a world enconomic power, first thing I thought of was comical Ali
The programme itself was just another bbc propaganda piece but the quality of that propaganda is easily the worst I’ve ever seen.
“Hence the references to how ‘we won the intelligence war’ peppered with countless informers and agents. It was a classic case of getting your story in first, which should tell us all what we need to know”
Yep, they won the intelligence war…….it only took them…..*checks watch* ummm….30 odd years to do it but better late than never, I suppose……I guess they must’ve enjoyed letting the IRA/INLA run amok in England, bombing Cities, Banks and even Downing Street instead of stopping them with their superior intelligence data……
“Most ridiculous was the claim by White that they brought about the peace process through agents”
Even though from the 1980’s onwards the British Army said the IRA couldn’t be defeated. Even Tony Blair said it was a stalemate, the fighting wasn’t going anywhere for both sides. It was the electoral success at the Hunger Strikes that drew the IRA closer to politics instead of an armed campaign. As records show, the British Government had no intention of peace, they were following an agenda that was backed up by political Unionism: target and destroy the IRA, which they plainly failed to do. I don’t think it was a coincidence when the USA got more involved in the troubles here in the 1990’s (with the support of Irish America) that the peace process sprouted from their involvement. Its also important to note that maybe 2/3 of Unionism rejected the Good Friday Agreement (the core of the peace process) and the remaining 1/3 who did support it only did so because they were getting released from prison (UVF/UDA), because they didn’t see any better alternative for Unionism (Trimble), etc.
There’s maybe more propaganda spouted in today’s media than there was in the 1990’s. Apparently the IRA was defeated (emm, hello, one of their Commanders is Joint First Minister). Apparently the peace process was due to British agents (even though Tony Blair and others repeatedly contradicted this). Apparently no one in the North wants a United Ireland, according to the BBC/Media…..that’s the latest propaganda being spouted but its just as true as saying the RUC just had a “small amount” of rotten apples……
I wonder how far one would get with the BBC if a few people came forward and named the RUC special branch terrorists who openly claimed/bragged that they were involved in okaying the murders of certain members of the nationalist community?
“RUC special branch terrorists who openly claimed/bragged that they were involved in okaying the murders of certain members of the nationalist community?”
I think your referring to MRF members Wolfe Tone. They openly laughed about killing innocent Catholics on TV. They openly bragged that it didn’t matter if people were innocent or not, being from a particular area made you guilty, that’s UVF/UDA logic. Almost 3 years later: still no arrests. Ken Maginnis said Margaret Thatcher phoned him and he named certain people. A while later those same people ended up dead, murdered. Has Ken been arrested? Nope.
The question must be asked: what are we doing to bring them to Justice? If this went on in any other western country there would be an uproar. That’s the crazy thing, the British Government openly murdered and colluded in the murders of hundreds of people. They are openly obstructing investigations, refusing to release files, etc to this day. What are we going to do about this? In any other country there would be mass protests or civil disobedience.
No Ryan, I am not referring to MRF. I am referring to the terrorist RUC who whilst interrogating republicans be it in castlereagh,gough barracks etc openly and brazenly told individuals in their custody, they got such and such killed. They bragged about it. Their names are well known to those they bragged to.
Now if a these individuals came forward to tell their story and name names do you think the BBC would air their claims without evidence? I think we all know the answer. Btw some of these RUC terrorists havnt gone away you know and still wield influence amongst the community.
” I am referring to the terrorist RUC who whilst interrogating republicans be it in castlereagh,gough barracks etc openly and brazenly told individuals in their custody, they got such and such killed”
Yep, one of my relatives went through similar ordeals in Castlereagh. The RUC threatened him with murder if he didn’t talk. He didn’t. So they resorted to torture. That didn’t work either. But my relative told me the last time I seen him about this torture method they had and used on him. Two RUC men would twist his arms in a particular way, I think behind his back. The pain was unbelievable and my relative fainted due to it. The best thing about this torture method, from an RUC point of view, was that it didn’t leave any marks on the body, like bruises, cuts, etc.
There’s no doubt about it that the RUC was more of a sectarian paramilitary than a police force. Even Seamus Mallon referred to the RUC/UDR as the “paramilitary wing of Unionism”.
“Now if a these individuals came forward to tell their story and name names do you think the BBC would air their claims without evidence? I think we all know the answer”
Of course not, the BBC is just another wing of the British State.
“Btw some of these RUC terrorists havnt gone away you know and still wield influence amongst the community.”
Indeed, many of them are still in the PSNI despite being told to leave under Patten. They went out and then came back in. That’s why Bobby Storey and Gerry Adams was arrested over Jean McConvilles death. Lawyers for both Storey and Adams said that not one piece of evidence was presented to Storey/Adams during questioning. These individuals are still in the PSNI and are trying to do what they done whilst in the RUC. Needless to say they need removed.
On a related subject yesterday’s serialisation by the Irish News of the book by ‘Sean Hartnett’ about his experiences in the British Army told us in detailed terms how the Army intended to take out members of the Real IRA who were planning to kill soldiers. Hartnett’s plot was set at St Lucia Barracks, Omagh, an army base at Derry Road, Omagh. According to Hartnett, the Real IRA plan was to kill soldiers using an ATM at a filling station across the road from the base.According to Hartnett, armyintelligence learned that the attackers would more than likely use the entrance to the Silverbirches hotel across the road to monitor the movements of the soldiers before attacking them. The problem with this story is that the Silverbirches hotel is not on the Derry road, but on the Gortin road some three quarters of a mile away from St Lucia Barracks. So, if the crack army team was waiting by the Silverbirches hotel to thwart the attackers, they would have been of great help to soldiers leaving St Lucia Barracks if they came under attack as was feared! As the saying goes, never let the facts get in the way of a good story!
Sure I know both places well. Some of my earliest memories include the sound of gunfire coming from the British army camp across the river….`I wonder even at this late stage can I sue for being traumatised, leading to the twisted life I have staggered through? I think I can get an anonymous witness to say anything I suggest to him…Btw: isn’t it a bit ironic that those who see last night’s Spotlight as spot-on are in all cases themselves lurking in the shadows of anonymity? Just wonderin’, like…
Jude
In Belfast parlance …You’re a geg!
There was in fact an entrance to the Omagh barracks opposite the entrance to the Silverbirches. There is also a cash machine just outside the shop right there so I assume this is where he was talking about.
Just guessing
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.6084169,-7.2999787,3a,75y,158.39h,67.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNIubYVLAZqcPsxUoWN9Txw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
The BBC is not the British Broadcasting Corporation for nothing. It is the propaganda mouthpiece of the British state and many of its correspondents past and present have close relations with the security services. It is well resourced, has a global reach and only a passing acquaintance with objectivity and balance.
The fact it can give free rein to a senior member of the RUC Special Branch without questioning his actions and motives indicates the lack of balance in the whole episode.
If the BBC told me that tomorrow was to be Thursday I would check the calendar before I’d take their word for it.
Season 25 Episode 6 of Spotlight.
The Hitler Diaries: The Musical.
See our rave reviews
Tommy Gormless : “..Eye opening stuff.. Good auld Auntie BBC Surpasses itself.
Not since The sexing up of the iraqi dossier have i been so spellbound.
Andrex Gilligmot.. sobbed ” The Auntie fired me for less..”
The BBC. We’re so British So you don’t have to be.
Walter Mitty types have appeared on TV for decades claiming to have been “involved” and telling “all they know”.I recall a similar character appearing on “dispatches” in the late 80s and claiming to have been a volunteer since the time of the Brookborough raid in 1956 right up to the time of the programme.The thing is his intimate “knowledge” of Brookborough could have been gleaned by anybody who ever sang or listened to a few verses of “Sean South” of Garryowen”!
Ref. your quote supra about winning the intelligence wat, one thing shows the faolure of the brit agencies in this, a blue Iveco in the Baltic Exchange, think again RUC.
I decided not to bother watching Spotlight, assuming it would be the usual hash job, with so called witnesses sitting with their backs to the camera, in shadow, while an earnest reporter nodded. Seems I made the right decision. Like the Belfast Telegraph, with it`s endless hatchet jobs on Sinn Féin in general and Gerry Adams in particular, the BBC team think the people who vote for Republican politicians do not count.
is this guy related to Martin Mcgartland? A sad note when the BBC has this air( falsely so IMHO) of respectability and integrity about the world, yet journalism 101 would shoot holes in all the unchalenged allegations by 1. an ‘anonymous” agent and 2. a RUC man with a very questionable past.
The contradictions in the programme were startling! The IRA was riddled with informers – Brit/RUC SB intelligence had them over a barrel. Bingo – the IRA allegedly raid the RUC SB files in a daring raid. Alan mcquillen sets up big sting to get Bobby Storey – fails!
And these 2 results with all those informers! So they finish with the massive infiltration of IRA again. Now this is without even going into all the other Peter Pan stuff they came out with. Hard to believe any broadcaster would air this stuff. Talk about trying to change the narrative of the conflict!