Anyone familiar with the details of the Kincora affair won’t be shocked by the title of this article. William McGrath, a noted associate of Ian Paisley and Unionist paramilitary was also an MI5 operative; having smuggled in guns for Ulster Resistance from apartheid South Africa. McGrath was also involving Unionist politicians in the rape and torture of children at Kincora Boy’s Home, so that British Intelligence could blackmail them into working for them. What the whole debacle confirms, beyond any reasonable doubt, was that it wasn’t just the IRA which was infiltrated by MI5; the Unionist parties and Loyalist paramilitaries are full of shady operatives (like John McKeague) who entertain a private agenda dictated to them by dark forces over which they have no control.
This of course is relevant to where we are at politically; the current stalemate in the talks process focuses primarily around the contentious area of legacy – dealing with the past. It would be wishful thinking to believe that the Orange Aristocracy would want the spotlight on their past deeds in the North, and even more wishful to think that people, who’s activities and in some cases who’s crimes, would ever want that can of worms fully opened to the public gallery. These people after all care nothing for the rule of law or democratic methods.
The fact is, that even if Unionist politicians wanted to resolve the past in a constructive way, they are the prisoners of senior operatives in what remains ‘shadow-world.’ In confirmation of what I’m asserting, evidence has emerged recently that both Peter Robinson and Ian Paisley were anxious that MI5 was bugging their telephones in defiance of the ‘Wilson Doctrine’, to the extent that they rarely discussed matters openly. I of course am by no means implicating either Mr. Robinson or Mr. Paisley in these dubious activities; but it does show the extent to which the Intelligence Services sought to keep an eye on even those most loyal to the Crown.
There has also been mention, in some quarters, that the Reverend Robert Bradford was deliberately targeted by MI5 agent ‘Stake-Knife’, because the late MP was about to disclose the shady goings-on at Kincora Boy’s Home in East Belfast – which would have sabotaged British Intelligence’s hold on certain sections of the Unionist political class. The facts of these matters are truly horrific, there’s no question about that. The focus must therefore be on how to address them in some sort of objective and transparent way.
I believe we are going to seriously have to look at the prospect of some sort of truth and reconciliation commission which tries to find relatives and victims some sort of closure in relation to Troubles-killings – similar to what was agreed in South Africa. I write as someone who had a relative killed by one of the guns smuggled into Belfast from South Africa by McGrath. The question is whether such an eventual move to set up this kind of body will come with the powers to compel these people to testify over what they have gotten up to in the dead of night. That’s what is really at the heart of the stalemate – accountability.
Yes. Right on the pulse as usual my friend. I had the misfortune to know mcgrath in 77 and 78. He was obsessed with talking about Tara and smuggling bibles he said . Maybe that was guns eh?
Great Piece Donal
The refusal of the British to release lists of 19th century informers is interesting. What makes it pertinent, relevant, useful at this distant remove? Well if they used the list to blackmail and compromise the children of those informers. The historically parochial nature of Ireland where TD’s seats were passed from parent to child as did most areas of power in the country would exacerbate such influence greatly.
I’m probably being too suspicious. More likely the British state is merely protecting any descendants from public embarrassment.
We don’t have a can of worms here courtesy of the folks at MI5 or MI6 or MFI or whatever they call themselves. We have a worm farm.
While Teresa May is in charge at the Deathstar I don’t think we will get any movement on this issue. We do need to get British human rights groups to bring more attention to the British public- but MI5 have a tight reign over most of those groups and can effectively silence others. Corbyn being in charge would be the only prospect- but if you look at my prediction when when he first became Labour leader, MI5 would never let that happen.