Chutzpah. Brass neck. Hypocrisy. Call it what you will, the British are truly masters of the art, as is seen in their reaction to the killing of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. You’ll remember how Litvinenko was served a poisonous cup of tea and the blame is now being laid at the door of the Russian leader Putin. The British reaction has been one of shock-horror: to execute a death sentence on a man when he’s seated having his tea. Home Secretary Theresa May denounced it as “a blatant and unacceptable breach of the most fundamental tenets of international law”.
The ending of the conflict here saw a stipulation that Britain would hold an independent public inquiry into the death of Pat Finucane, gunned down in his own home while having an evening meal with his family. That was the commitment. But David Cameron then declared the Ministry of Defence and MI5 wouldn’t allow such a thing, so he organized a private review. De Silva’s 2008 reported confirmed security force collusion in the killing of the Belfast lawyer.
Finucane was only one of many victims. The British government over decades planned assassinations, delivered weapons to loyalist death squads and turned a blind eye to their activities.
Today, Britain continues to block investigation into these matters. Which must give much heart to others considering state-backed killings. Meanwhile the hypocrisy of Britain’s gasps of horror at the Litvinenko killing fills the rest of us with helpless rage.
Lets do as you wish could i also add that we examine Northern Ireland’s Deputy First minister and his role in Republican death squad activities after all dont we need utter transparency?
The Deputy First Minister and his party have indicated that they would willingly participate in a truth commission where all parties to the Troubles own up to their misdeeds. The British Government is unwilling to to be a party to truth telling. I don’t know where unionists stand on the issue but in view of their insistence that they have never wronged any section of the community since the foundation of the NI state, they might have difficulty admitting what by now are self evident truths.
Neill, as always, a complete deviation from the content of the article and a view construed to attack Sinn Fein. But, on this point, an examination into the IRA “might” find the British complicit in “some” of its activities (recent info on Shankill Bomb), as evidence has previously illustrated their involvement with Unionist “death squads” – Collision, the British government for so long DENIED. I’d imagine any future investigation into British actions during the troubles will fall into the category of “national security.”
Meanwhile, back to Jude’s article – in your view, should the British Government hold an independent enquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. Indiscriminately murdered, simply because the British state wanted him murdered! What about Rosemary Nelson? The British government do hypocrisy very well, and have done so for generations. We don’t have to look any further than Bloody Sunday – their farcical enquirys set up at the time to justify their narratives, their blatant lies in the face of the truth for 38 years … Then the truth … Not because they wanted the truth, but because the truth could no longer be denied. The lesson from Bloody Sunday – no more enquirers = no more exposing the truth of their hideous crimes. And this is what’s criticising state sponsored murder elsewhere ….
*Collusion – that should read
Sorry there was a demand for truth dont you want to hear all the truth?
“A demand for the truth” – from whom, exactly? Certainly, no demand from the British, if anything, they are continuing the cover up.
What exactly is the truth, Neill? Is it only the truth when it suits certain narratives?
“Don’t you want to hear all the truth” – What a naïve statement – do you actually think , Neill, “all the truth” will ever be made known?
No
I’m all for that too, Neill because i’m a curious bugger…I want to hear about all the background details…. but Jude really has a point.You know what , Neill ,I even think MMGuinness would agree to an enquiry …even into his own past.I’m sure Gerry Adams would too. They have mostly advised for some kind of truth commission at every move but it is never reciprocated . It’s a bit like our “shared history” here, I don’t see unionism generally wanting to share any of it at all. They just want to place the blame in one single direction…and that’s towards nationalism …never once understanding their own role in the scheme of things. There is much hypocrisy about and there is a lot in this Litvinenko killing too.One thing we can agree on is that a man was murdered on UK soil after defecting ..and Putin appears to be in the frame.The problem is that we all tend to comparmentalise.
What about……what about…….what about………
Yep, that’s right Neill, steer away from the topic at hand, move along, nothing to see here…..
Bore on Ryan
Oi! – neill…
Of course the DFM was NOT a government official back in the day.
Tolstoy said that truth was like gold and may be obtained by washing away from it all that is not gold. Day and daily we are being drip fed accounts about the dirty war in Ireland. Walls of silence have been erected around the actions of the police, the army and sundry agents for over forty years. Efforts by John Stalker to investigate collusion were thwarted time after time and the heavy hand of history, dripping with blood has moved from Mr Blair’s shoulder to Mr Cameron’s shoulder. Military might was used as a response to social and economic problems in Ireland as the abuse of parliamentary privilege resulted in deaths in homes and streets. Other men/women were deemed to be guilty until proved innocent.
Douglas Hurd was obliged to respond to questions posed by Russian officials about political prisoners in Long Kesh. The least worst option was stated to be that the prison system in the north of Ireland was “humane and forward looking”. In 2016, it appears that some prison officers and their representatives do not need to read or take action on recommendations made by visiting inspectors. Perhaps they ought to be reminded that prisoners in humane and forward looking establishments are there as punishment, not for punishment. Many deaths and injuries could have been avoided had humane and forward looking social and economic policies been endorsed and implemented as a response to legitimate demands for Civil and Human Rights.
Utterly predictable response ,Neill, ….nothing to contribute to the blog , just the usual anticipated attack on Republicanism.What about Pat Finucane and the promised independent public inquiry ?…..the perfidy of Cameron ?….your views on the very dubious and unreliable verdict on he death of the double agent Alexander Litvinenko ?
The poisonous cup of tea, Esteemed Blogmeister, also plays a pivotal role in the best movie of the moment.
That would be the splendiferous ‘The Hateful 8’, the finest fillum by the prodigious Quentin Tarantino since his wondrous (gulp) ‘Pulp Fiction’. This scene involving the poisonous cup of tea takes place in the log cabin called ‘Minnie’s Haberdashery’, located in the middle of the snowy wilderness of Wyoming (played winningly by the snowy wilderness of Colorado).
As you remind us, EB, the shock-horror, shaken-to- the- point-of- being-stirred British Government planned numerous assassinations in their last colony, carried out by their proxies , the pox doctor clerks of stylized loyalism, not least down here in Dublin-on- Liffey. Indeed, sticking with the silver screen, the most impactful contribution by the British to world fillumography has been the series which glorifies an official assassin as its central hero.
Curiously enough, one was reminded of a memorable character in a James Bond (no, for it is not he !) fillum but rather Goldfinger (for it was he!). That happened during the course of a debate, oops, conversation on Newstalk fm with Sunday Morning coming down. This wireless station is but one of the myriad of media outlets which belongs to, coincidentally enough, the Goldfinger of the Free Southern Media.
Now, one of the most memorable scenes involving the fictional Goldfinger features a game of golf against the glamorous gunman which took place in Sandwich rather than Sunningdale (which of course is a course for slow earners). Golf is the royal and ancient game in which the participants are divided into tigers (a minority, tiny) and the rabbits ( a majority, vast).
Not an all inappropriately, none other than Pat Rabbit was cast in the role of Goldfinger while E. O Broin of the mortal Shinners played the role of Eoin, Eoin 7. During the course of the fictional golf game (fabulously described in accurate detail by Ian Fleming), Goldfinger attempts to hoodwink his opponent by a series of various on-course subterfuges. Such as dropping his driver on the ground at a crucial mo, jangling the change in his deep pockets in a manner offputting, jumping up and down in a bunker to put his unseen ball in a more positive lie. That sort of Titleist thingy.
Pat Rabbit, whose fat legs are handicapped as plus-four, bandy, oops, bandit style, had obviously studied the techniques of the original Goldfinger. For every time his opponent began to develop a counter, and as it happened a superior argument, the neo-Goldfinger dropped, jangled and jumped his way into the conversation, quite unimpeded by the meek moderator.
PR, who is famously his own best PR, will shortly swop the title of TD for a role as mine host in the (surprise, surprise) same radio station. Then he will swop the part of the fictional Goldfinger for that of the actual Odd Job of the real time, as distinct from the reel time, Goldfinger of the Free Southern Stateen.
We have, perhaps, been privileged to be given a prelisten to his wireless way of operating.
During the course of said, erm, conversation the pet rabbit of radio owners languidly replied that, no, he hadn’t actually caught the Prime Minister’s button-down address to his blue-shirted party faithful at their Annual Conference the night before.
(The address was specially lengthened, by the way to the City West British Hotel for the special occasion, possibly in tribute to the former PM Lame Cosgrave, affectionately known as the Mongrel Fox to his fine fans for his ability to react instantly to craftily timed British bombs in Dublin when it came to steering security ledge successfully over the edge of Leinster House).
If Pat Rabbit missed the successor to the Mongrel Fox due, as he said, ‘to having two pints in his local’ (oh, the laddishness of that, the sheer, incredible street cred of that !) not so with The Perkin. Breaking the habit of a near lifetime The Perkin, sensing something special, broke the windy habit of a near-lifetime, and turned on the telly.
And, as he gazed, starred eyed, at the massed ranks of bankers hankering to drop anchor in Government Buildings for another five years, and so, keep the canker of out of tune violins at bay, one could but whisper:
-Take one’s hand, one’s a stranger in paradox.
There was, indubitably, an ‘unusual petting pattern’ to be discerned on the faces of one and every banker in attendance, and no better banker than the PM.
For, Enda brought his never-ending spiel to a conclusion with a phrase throbbing with (gasp) ambivalence:
-And so, as you take your peann or peannluaidhe in your hand, make sure to tick the box of the Blue Shirts with a resounding X.
Peann or Peannluaidhe? Pen or Pencil?
Was the Meximalist hinting at a version of (gulp) a mortal Shinner practice: Vote early, Vote etc.? Good heavens. Surely not.
This mysterious line, oddly enough, referred back to the line which had brought the house down and had them rolling in the aisles earlier in the conference. When a hitherto unknown delegate from Dublin Bay (North) , one Jeff Johnson (sic) cracked wise, and which merited the rapturous applause of (surprise, surprise) The Unionist Times:
-I’ll speak in English so my fellow delegates can understand what I’m saying.
Which thigh-slapper of a line neatly brings one back, Tarantino like, to where one started off:’The Hateful 8’.
For those who wish to devote themselves to a most rewarding treat during Me Time (and go see the movie in q.) keep a sharp ear out for the use of the word ‘Johnson’ in the mouth of the magnificent 007, Samuel L. Jackson.
It provides an uncannily accurate description of the hitherto unknown delegate from Dublin Bay (North).
Jude, I am always surprised when, various media, reports on an apparent willingness of the Brit. military, and their government, to undertake investigation into murders by their state actors into murders carried out against civilians in other parts of the world, presently the far middle east.
One reporter on Sky last weekend even went as far as to say they must be held to account, even when their ‘army’ were responsible.
Sauce for the Irish goose is not the same as that served with the Iraqi ganders.
Mrs. May, I have some experience here, has the most awful habit of jumping in front of television and newspaper cameras when she wants to appear decisive, unfortunately, when called upon to undertake investigations into matters which pose threat to her own jurisdiction, she tends to buck pass, expect more ‘no show’ on Finucane.
Neill, you’re right, let’s have an investigation into the Deputy (joint) First Minister, and his colleagues in the DUP while there, some may not like wheat they discover.
You are ..REDACTED
Sorry, Martybo – I can’t let simple abuse go up. Argue a case, yes; simple abuse, no.
We cant even get an Irish language act never mind the truth about Britain’s role in the north. Which leads me to say also that you never fail to entertain me when on the radio Jude. Always find myself agreeing wholeheartedly, always very well thought out arguments. Well done and keep up the good work.
Nobody does hypocrisy quite like our British neighbours, forget about the state execution of Pat Finucane, set up by Douglas Hogg and co, just consider that waste of space the so called Jihadi John. Now nobody in their right mind is going to mourn the loss of that animal but the fact is his death was ordered by the British PM, the killing (murder?) took place in a foreign country and the media rejoiced. The British eh? You`ve got to love them.
Is Douglas Hogg still alive?
If so Jude might wish to be careful about allowing the allegation above to be published on his site.
He said it. It is on record.
He said he set up Finucane’s murder? When did he say this?
Maybe because of this sort of thing…
“In 1989 Douglas Hogg, then junior home office minister, told the House of Commons some solicitors in Northern Ireland were “unduly sympathetic to the cause of the IRA”. Michael Finucane has described these words as “a verbal hand grenade lobbed into the cauldron of Northern Ireland”.
Three weeks later, two gunmen from the loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Freedom Fighters burst into the family home in Belfast, wounding Pat Finucane and his wife, Geraldine. One gunman stood over him as he lay on the ground and fired 14 shots into his body and head. Michael, then 17, was in the house with his brother and sister. Two decades later, the Finucane family is still trying to find out why their father was targeted and whether the government was involved in the killing. They continue to call for a full and independent public inquiry.
The WikiLeaks revelations have shone further light on the degree of state collusion. The Guardian reported last month that the leaked US embassy cables revealed Bertie Ahern, the former Irish prime minister, told US diplomats “everyone knows the UK was involved” in the murder and that US diplomats feared “elements of the security-legal establishments” in Britain were fighting to resist an inquiry”.
The full Guardian story: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jan/17/wikileaks-pat-finucane-inquiry
So he didn’t say he set the Finucane murder up?
Oh dear.
I’ll take that as a “no”.
If you’re happy to alow potentially defamatory material to be published on your blog that’s your risk.
One could also ask about Finucanes role in the Republican movement?
What was his role, Neill?
Did he cross over from being a legal representative to something else entirely?
What leads you to that question,neill?
You have made the statement, Neill about Pat Finucane’s role in the republican movement. Answer the question – What was his role? Do you have any actual evidence in making such a claim?
Sorry Jude
Fadhb are bith, Martybo…
No one quite does hypocrisy like the British Government. I think that’s where our Unionist neighbours must get it from, if hypocrisy was an Olympic Sport you can bet your last pretty penny Unionists like Neill would be the bookies best bet on putting on a stunning performance in hypocrisy and landing a Gold medal. I found it amusing at the time and I often make reference to it but George Galloway summed Unionism up nicely: “The DUP lecturing others is like the Hutchback of Notre Dame telling people to sit up straight”.
As we all already know the British Government systematically colluded with Loyalist terrorists in numerous murders of Catholic civilians. They set up the likes of Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson. They had involvement in the Dublin and Monaghan bombs that murdered over 30 people, including a pregnant woman with twins and continue to refuse to release files on the massacre. Their army committed Bloody Sunday, the Ballymurphy Massacre and numerous other murders on the streets of the 6 counties and then they protected the soldiers behind the murders, hence why the number of British soldiers ever convicted and imprisoned for their crimes can be counted on one hand. Compare this to the estimated 10,000 individual republicans that were arrested and served prison time for their activities stretching back over 4 decades. Indeed, internment without the right of a trial was brought in for people even suspected of being a Republican, being a Catholic was enough to intern anyone. The vast, vast majority interned were Catholics, whilst at the same time the UDA was a legal organisation, murdering Catholics under the cover name of the “UFF”. I could go on. The British Government and its pathetic lapdogs within Unionism are utter hypocrites and I’m sure these facts wont be unknown to the Russian Government, who have often in the past pointed out British crimes in Ireland.
It goes without saying the British Governments hypocrisy needs confronted on the international stage, the crimes they committed in the north needs exposed and justice for their victims. Can that be done? Yes but it wont be easy…..
So in your opinion Ryan the Republicans were the good guys and the British were the bad guys?
That`s about it.
Great.story.jude.
Ta.Jim.
Witness the ongoing Hillsborough inquests – the cover up, media slander and obfuscation that followed the deaths of 96 innocent people. See also the 84-85 miner’s strike, the Battle of Orgreave and the behaviour of the South Yorkshire Police acting on direct instruction from Thatcher, Tebbit et al.
Britain has no qualms about engaging in violence, coverup and collusion against its own people on ‘the mainland’ so the extent to which they engaged in this behaviour in Ireland is hardly surprising. That they continue to block investigation into state sanctioned murder, torture, collusion and human rights abuses here should tell you all you need to know.
What leads you to that question,neill?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3590237/Finucane-should-not-have-been-killed-but-he-was-in-the-IRA.html
I am not saying he is right or wrong however he does set out some intriguing points and in a national paper.
Worth reading.
Ha ha! Did you see who wrote it? Sean the Liar (allegedly)