PSNI FAILURES ABOUND
When members of the public in Northern Ireland who are under death threat from the IRA ring the police for assistance because they are frightened by what is happening outside their home, and after 30 hours still have not heard from them, something is seriously wrong. Two separate PSNI stations were rung for help, in addition to the 999 number, but still there was no response.
Other civilians under death threat from republican terrorists have found the police less than helpful when it comes to getting the protection they need. When the fearful PM1 form is presented to an innocent civilian by the police, informing them that they are to be shot within a specified time period, the police feel they have done their duty when this message of death has been delivered. Getting relevant information from police is an impossible task, and one could be excused for imagining that perhaps they are utterly incompetent when it comes to dealing with the terrorist threat.
At Clady bridge, near Strabane, another 600lb bomb device was discovered, and remained a threat for almost 24 hours, before being declared a hoax by the army. Obviously, republican terrorists have the freedom to move about without fear of being caught, and in so doing, make fools of the police. This is reminscient of a similar bomb at Jonesborough a few weeks ago, and of the ability of terrorists to move guns and explosives about the area with impunity.
In East Belfast, terrorists were able to plant an under car booby-trap bomb which detonated under a 38 year old woman's car, whose boyfriend is a police officer, injuring her, and would have killed her passenger had he been in the other front seat - and this within a few hundred meters of PSNI HQ. Terrorists had the courage and the ability to get within a "stone's throw" of police HQ, knowing that the likelihood of their being caught, or even disturbed, was practically nil. It says something for our 'improved' police in 21st century Northern Ireland.
In Maghera, another device has been planted at a derelict school, thus causing fear in the local community.
Near Toome, shots were fired when an attempted tiger kidnapping was under way.
In Castledawson, young gangsters are holding the town to ransom, while locals are asking the age old question, "What police?"
Local people throughout the province are utterly disillusioned by the inability of the police to secure the country they are employed to secure. The politicians, by their new-found close friendship with republican terrorists, have effectively neutered the police, transforming it from a 'force' to a 'service.'
Confidence in the police is plummeting rapidly amongst decent law-abiding citizens in Northern Ireland. People who would have been the natural supporters of the police are now turning against them more rapidly than they would care to admit. Our country is heading towards a terrorist conflagration, and no one seems to give a toss about what is happening, so long as the political institutions remain intact. The people are being fed with deceptive messages, but when the assistance of the police is needed, they are nowhere to be found. We are more vulnerable than we were in the worst years of the terrorist campaign, more defenseless, more unprotected. The terrorist campaign is ratcheting up on a daily basis, while the police capability is being ratcheted down at the same pace. With a growing terrorist threat (severe at the moment) and a diminishing police capability, when hardy comes to hardy, who will win?
What we are witnessing today is the ongoing parallel policy of the republican movement - the ballot paper in one hand and an armalite in the other - a fact no one will deny without appearing foolish. That movement is still operating the armalite; but it is using the ballot box to provide cover for its nefarious activities with the armalite. The really sad thing is that very few see this. They imagine that the ballot box republicans have become democrats, while in reality they are presenting themselves as the good guys with whom the establishment must do business, for if they don't, the 'other crowd' is out there with the armalites to help persuade the authorities to give them what they demand!
Is there anyone out there who will take this analysis seriously? Can they afford not to? Or are they too happy ripping off the country financially and morally, and making a good nest egg for themselves - and their families, of course?
TERRORIST MURDERER INVITED TO WESTMINSTER
The offensive spectacle of an unrepentant republican terrorist, Dr Patrick Magee, the IRA's skilled bomb-maker, has caused further anger amongst his innocent victims, not only in London, but across the UK.
Magee built and detonated by timer a bomb device that almost succeeded in wiping out the entire UK Cabinet, including the then Prime Minister, Margaret (now Baroness) Thatcher, at the Grand Hotel, Brighton 25 years ago on 12th October. They escaped the 2:54am bomb blast, but five were murdered and 34 injured, some seriously. At his trial, the judge gave him eight life sentences, and recommended that he serve a minimum of 35 years, and branded Magee "a man of exceptional cruelty and inhumanity" who enjoyed terrorist activities. Had he served his entire sentence, Magee would have been 70 before release.
Three and a half weeks before the bomb outrage, Magee stayed as a guest at the Grand Hotel, under the assumed name Roy Walsh. There he built the 20 - 30 lb bomb, which he placed behind the wall panel in the bathroom, timing it to go off 24 days later. His bomb-making skills were honed at Libyan terrorist training camps. Magee was born in Belfast in 1951, but moved with his family to Norwich, England, when he was two, returning at age 18, and soon afterwards joining the IRA. In prison, he completed a PhD research degree on "Troubles fiction."
MONEY BUYS OFF THE BEST - and the worst!
It has emerged today that the reason why the republican terrorist group, INLA, announced that it was ceasing its military activities, is because it has been 'bought off' by some body or other, whose identity has not been disclosed, but it can only be the government. £7m each year for the next five years (£35m) is a tremendous bounty for this terrorist group, and the £430,000 given to its Strabane wing pales into insignificance in comparison.
This policy of 'buying off' those who are deemed to be an inconvenience has been used to good effect by government for many years, and it has also just emerged that former Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, offered some £14m to Lybia to stop supplying the IRA. Indeed, Britain has a track record of buying off its enemies, and kicking its real friends in the teeth.
Money talks! Politicians have been 'bought off' by the government, community activists have been 'purchased,' and victims leaders have also fallen under the irresistible spell of government enticements. Money talks! Principles have been sold for a pittance, and many people betrayed.
Attempts are also being made to do the same with WTV, and its Director, Hazlett Lynch. He has maintained a resolute stand against this kind of corruption, and is likely to pay the price for his dissent. Pressures are being brought to bear on him to ease up on the statements he makes, to tone things down, and essentially to not offend the terrorists and their friends in government.
But if victims' group leaders are to do their job, they must 'say it as it is,' without fear or favour. The establishment and its paid lackeys do not like this, but if the victims leaders are not prepared to do this, who will speak up for the innocent victims of terrorism?
The Brady Funeral Utterly Offensive
Last week saw the spectacle of a public display of terrorist strength and defiance, under the watchful eye of the PSNI, when a volley of shots was fired by three terrorists wearing fatigues and balaclavas, on the orders of an Irish-speaking terrorist commander. Strabane witnessed this offensive spectacle which brought pleasure to the IRA supporters in the town, but profound sadness and anger to the many innocent victims of terrorism from that area.
What compounded the hurt was the fact that the police did nothing to stop this terrorist event, or to apprehend those terrorists who fired the volley of shots over Brady's coffin. Add to this the flanking of almost 200 republican terrorists in white shirts, black ties, trousers and glasses. The 400 Strabane people who applauded and cheered after the volley of shots was fired gave no indication that things had changed in that town.
As they cheered and supported this terrorist celebration, what they were in fact doing was celebrating the ruthless murder of RUC Reservist David Black carried out by Brady 20 years ago last June. They were delighted that he plunged that young family into indescribable grief, and left a young woman a widow, a child with no father, and a family circle devastated.
That geering and cheering reminded Hazlett Lynch of the visit he and his family circle made to the place where his young policeman brother had been murdered a few days earlier in June 1977 by the IRA. The family witnessed the cheering, clapping, celebratory behaviour of the women who lived in that estate near Ardboe, Co Tyrone. Those 'people' did not stop to consider the deep hurt this would bring to already broken hearts, nor did they even care.
This is a common behaviour for republicans in Strabane, for when the funeral cortege of one of our UDR soldiers passed through the town in 1983, the locals cheered and celebrated this young man's murder.
People try to tell us the "troubles" are over. On the contrary, the terrorist campaign is still going on apace, and is being conducted by the same organisation. In the Cookstown and Magherafelt areas, four people have been contacted by the PSNI, informing them that the IRA still has them in their sights for assassination. The police in those areas are at a loss to know what to do. They no longer have the expertise, or the resources to deal with these terrorist threats. And now that these have emanated from the mainstream IRA, they will be much less inclined to do anything about these, so as not to de-stabilise the political institutions. And the ordinary people are being left utterly defenseless as a result.
The real fear now exists for people to take action to defend themselves. No, they most certainly will not join up to any state sponsored security force; but they will protect themselves. Many of these ordinary people have the skills, the intelligence, and the motivation to do what is needed to protect their homes, their loved ones, and their country. If the PSNI will not protect them, and there is little likelihood that this will happen, then they will feel themselves duty bound to do it themselves. This has the potential to create many more innocent victims, something we had hoped would never happen again.
I appeal to the PSNI to provide the protection that is needed in our country and to act to irradicate terrorism in all its forms from our land. I appeal to the government at Westminster to awake and see what it is creating amongst the best people in the Kingdom. Act now to avert a situation in which citizens are being pushed beyond what they are able to bear. Prevention is better than cure, but our governments have been failures at both.
My hope is for a better future than we had a past. At this moment, that seems as far away as ever!
Victims in Northern Ireland are Political Footballs
In the run-up to the Westminster elections, and possibly to earlier Stormont elections, it is profoundly hurtful to the real victims of terrorism for Jeffrey Donaldson to use victims for party political purposes. His Private Members Bill in the Assembly to initiate a change in the definition of 'victim,' while welcome, is but a cynical ploy to give the impression that he and his current party are concerned about victims.
Is this the same Mr Donaldson who said in August 2008 at the launch of a victims draft strategy at the WAVE premises in North Belfast that he "served with the UDR and Mr Kelly served with the IRA"? This is moral equivalence. These two junior ministers accepted each other as equals. Indeed, Mr Donaldson made no attempt whatever to re-define victims when this was his portfolio.
Was it this Mr Donaldson who said on 16/09/09, as reported in the press, that "there could be no moral equivalence between perpetrators and their victims." Yes, it was. How enlightening! Another change of mind!
Victims are again being made political footballs, and all for party political gain. But true victims and the wider community can see through this smoke-screen, and will not forget what these politicians did when they accepted as equals those who murdered and maimed our kith and kin, and invited them into government, one of them holding the top position.
The following quotations from speakers and presenters were taken down by Hazlett Lynch. Please be advised that these were taken from the interpretor.
Terrorism is a crime, not just against individuals, but against humanity.
There is progress at EU level, but not at international level. Terrorists consider themselves victims, but most consider who a victim is. This is double victimisation. The perpetrator is a terrorist. Victims are excluded and criminals are not punished for their crimes.
At international level, the definition of 'terrorism' has not been found. To fight it, you must know what you are fighting. We need better international co-operation.
Democracies should never give in ... to the demands of terrorism. ETA's victims were innocent victims (and) ETA tried to give justification for their actions. The majority of 12 - 15 year olds still approve of ETA's methods. This message is not allowed to be sent out to the schools.
EU approves of prevention. Terrorism is an attack on democracy. We are in a society where freedom of speech is valid, but we need to work against terrorists and maintain our freedom of speech.
We never stop trying to spread our message against terrorism. It is important for our loved ones to be remembered. We must struggle against this plague. People and the media tend to forget about the victims. We must continue to demand justice. Hundreds of victims have not got justice because of time-barred law. They need to know who killed their loved ones. I know who killed my brother, and Spain remembers what happened. Justice has been made because my brother's killers are in gaol. But those who decided to kill him are free, even though the killer is not.
Italian terrorism is not over. It has led to the fragmentation of political reality.
If terrorists are protected by the nations, .... extradition implemented and [the terrorists] handed over to justice. Terrorism in Italy has ended politically, but Italy has not got over this situation.
[Terrorist] Organisations do not define as terrorist organisations. There are vocabulary and definitional problems [created] by the social scientists. There is no legal definition of crime that applies to terrorism. Terrorists are 'actors' therefore their vocabulary and definition are acceptable.
In 2005, ...supposed to come up with a definition of terrorism, but the EU only has strategies against terrorism. Many democractic countries have definitions of terrorism, [for example] Chile, Argentina, Asian countries...
It is a battle against those who want freedom of speech and those who do not.
No cause should authorise attacks on civilians.
International/EU arrest warrants are in force in EU countries, (and these are) needed. (They have) overcome some legal difficulties.
Suffering, terrorism and silence are not legitimate.
Violence goes against democracy. Are there any limits to violence, even in issues of self-determination?
If a 'just cause' is claimed, then all kinds of terrorism can be justified.
Terrorism is always a blind action, ...ethnic cleansing, ...political and religious motivations, and also fascism.
Terrorism can never be for a 'just cause.' The definition of terrorism should be taught in schools so that in society terrorism does not exist.
If there is no war, then all killing of civilians or security forces is terrorism.
Terrorism is attacks on unsuspecting populations.
Terrorism is an intentional act to achieve publicity.
Civil society alone can deal with this.
Frittinni said, "We should not talk to terrorists (for) they are enemies."
We have had so many dead people in Spain, so negotiation is not the way forward.
We have to find a unifying understanding of terrorism.
What is important is the search for justice.
In times of elections, politicians take care of victims to show they are concerned, in order to get elected.
It's not the victim who is recognised, but the terrorist. (They have been) granted immunity from prosecution and rewarded.
Those who are penalised today are those who call terrorists by their names, (and) are liable to be jailed for so doing.
Hazlett Lynch was given an opportunity to address the Congress, and the substance of his remarks is given below:
This session is seeking to address the issue of the role of society in dealing with terrorism. May I tell you the attitude of
Indeed, terrorists are treated as celebrities, and are promoted to the highest position in our government. Does congress think this is a correct thing to do?
The victims of terrorism are still being ruled over by terrorists. One of our Prime Ministers, McGuinness, is a terrorist. He has ultimate responsibility for victims. He appointed a convicted IRA bomber to be in charge of victims; appointed a Commission for victims which included a terrorist supporter and whose other members accepted that person; appointed a victims forum, which Sean Coll sits on, and which includes a convicted IRA terrorist.
Northern Ireland society, through its elected members, has defined "victim" in such a way as to include terrorists as victims, so that anyone affected by a "conflict-related incident" is a victim, therefore terrorists are included. Sean Coll, in his contribution, did not explain to Congress that this included terrorists in the definition of victim. He uses the same vocabulary, but a very different dictionary, from that used by members of this congress.
This congress must send out a clear message that this is wrong.
In
It says that there is a moral equivalence between victims and terrorists.
We, as victims, are being urged to go to terrorists for help.
Terrorism has undermined, perverted and destroyed democracy in
At the
I would like the panel to respond to these points, especially Mr Coll.
At the end of this session, when I was speaking to another delegate who supported what I had said, a man who works at the trauma centre in
Isn't it great that there are such competent trauma experts in
On another point, this man's embarrassment was over the content of what I was saying. He was clearly not in agreement with the sentiments I expressed, so I must therefore conclude that he took a very different view on terrorism from the one I, and most others at the congress, held. Like establishment people in
The Offensive Victims' Forum
All is not well within the victims' sector in Northern Ireland, and the setting up of the new Forum has done greater damage to many within it.
The problem is not the forum per se, but the fact that it has been set up by a terrorist-friendly OFMDFM working through a terrorist-friendly victims' commission, resulting inevitably in a terrorist-friendly and inclusive forum.
In no way can it be described as a victims' forum, when those who created victims, and their supporters, are included in it. Quite simply, it is a most hurtful farce!
What has compounded the hurt and sense of further betrayal is the fact that some now in the forum have, by their actions, admitted that there is no fundamental difference between victims and terrorists. It is quite clear that the entire victims policy in Northern Ireland is being controlled by the IRA, working through its "Army" Council.
Those who have taken their seats in this offensive government quango have agreed with joint First Minister McGuinness that there is no distinction between the relatives of IRA terrorists who were killed while on active service, and those belonging to the security forces' family, and other civilians who were butchered to death by these criminal gangsters. McGuinness's statement of moral equivalence between police and army victims and those of the IRA is but a repeat of Jeffrey Donaldson's statement in August 2008 that he and Gerry Kelly both served in their respective armies.
To see leaders within the victims' community now taking their seats as equals with notorious terrorist murderers is repugnant and highly offensive, and a barefaced betrayal of victims. Real victims are now left wondering if these leaders can be trusted in what they say, given the promise of some to ensure that victims seats will be left unfilled. It also raises the question of whether those who claimed very publicly that they did not recognise the victims commission really meant what they said, or was it just meaningless puff and bluster designed to conceal their real motivations.
Let the message be sent out loud and clear: there are some victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland who will not be bought by the government because they are people of principle, and not the wicked pragmatists that litter the political landscape of our beloved country.
It will be quite difficult to see if these people can be trusted again within the victims sector.
Summer School 2009 at Glencree
The Summer School at Glencree was a re-run of what I had been used to getting at Glencree over the years we participated in and attended your events. Nothing has changed - the same old rhetoric as before that favours the terrorists. What a disappointing event this turned out to be.
The coldness that was experienced by some of those who were there was 'tangible.' In the past, the semblance of a warm welcome was demonstrated by hugs from staff, but this was purely superficial. We saw through that policy and practice quite soon. This time, staff kept their distance from us, preferring the company of terrorists to that of their victims.
The sheer opposition to anyone who not only believes terrorism is wrong and without justification, but says so, could be felt - it was palpable. This viewpoint did not sit well with the GLENCREE MINDSET.
The pre-disposition TOWARDS terrorism and AGAINST the still suffering victims of terrorism came across as clear as could be. What does Glencree think it is doing? I admit it is not a counselling surgery; but it calls itself a reconciliation centre where profoundly wounded victims of terrorism, the scars if which are still 'ouzing,' are expected to meet with their attackers and the murderers of their family members, if they are to participate in reconciliation activities.
The refusal to have anyone who holds my analysis of the situation on the panel was nothing short of discriminatory. On the victims panel, none of the carefully hand-picked speakers held or expressed my point of view, so our analysis was excluded, and that by an organisation that glories in its inclusive policy - nothing could be further from the truth. Actions do tend to speak louder than words. The government lackeys that you tried to attract to speak on that panel would have added to the coldness of the occasion for me. As it happened, both Reatha and Mark were eloquent and united exponents of the government line! Indeed, the two occasions in which I was asked to speak were seen as sheer tokenism, the last occasion being at the Summer School in 2006, I think, when, of all the sessions, the entire available senior staff of Glencree honoured me by their presence - just why they were there is the really interesting question! The first time I spoke, the NIO representatives were alerted to attend, which they did, and left immediately after I had finished speaking. They did not remain for the Q & A session which provided opportunity ti clarify points of confusion. I have still wondered just why they were in attendance for my contribution, and left immediately afterwards? Glencree informed me that they left then in order to return to Belfast, when in fact, another speaker was with them in the hotel in Inniskerry, and confirmed that they had been there well into the afternoon/evening. What they claimed for expenses and time for that day would be interesting to discover.
Being 'cut off' by Ian White was Ian being true to form - this was not the first time he did that to me, while allowing all the terrorists and terrorist-loving participants to have their full time to say whatever they wanted. His intolerance to the victims of terrorism is manifest. No surprises here! Indeed, his publicly displayed photograph with a notorious terrorist murderer by the name of Arafat in the entrance to the cafe was utterly insulting, and as a victim of IRA terrorism, I found it revolting - but that is Glencree's normal form. There seems to be a huge ego issue here, for these people just want to be photographed with what they regard as 'the great and the good.' To be glad to be photographed with global terrorists is something for which I have nothing but contempt. Rather it ought to be a reason for massive shame and embarrassment.
Glencree clearly has not interest in trying to help the victims of terrorism, otherwise they would not be pandering to the most notorious terrorist machine in Europe, if not in the world; that is not to recognise the IRA for its brilliance but for its diabolical and massively evil terrorising and murderous behaviour, not only in Northern Ireland, but where it manifests itself through it many sub-contractors and allied throughout the world - PLO, ETA, FARC, ANC, to name but a few.
Glencree is not about trying to promote reconciliation, but is about inflicting a "second wounding" on the victims of terrorism. If its characteristic policy is promoting terrorists and terrorism as a legitimate vehicle through which political goals may be achieved, then so be it. But please do not insult the victims of terrorism by pretending to be a centre for reconciliation.
WTV deals on a daily basis with those who have been virtually destroyed by the IRA. Glencree draws a moral equivalence between the terrorist and the genuine victims of terrorism, and between terrorist and security force member, hence Thompson's frequent contributions to the Glencree pretence. Listen to the Nolan show, BBC Radio Ulster today, when he repeated his diatribe against the police from about 09:47 for 10 minutes or so. Refusing to answer Nolan's questions, and diverting attention away from the real issues by his skillful diversionary tactics, poor Nolan failed to hold him to the questions - the BBC is one of Adams' "persuaders" for a United Ireland.
The pretence of Glencree to be involved in reconciliation work must now be exposed to the world, and to its generous funders, for what it really is - a machine for draining much needed funding from the victims of terrorism, thus depriving them of the wherewithal to do the intensely difficult work of trying to give victims of terrorism a life that is a little bit more bearable than it was.
Your almost idolatrous adherence to inclusivity at the expense of differentiation is hurtful, and something I find unacceptable. You simply cannot airbrush out of existence the moral behaviour of those terrorists who have wrecked such havoc on so many. That is why I described Glencree in terms of it being an extremist organisation - a moderate one would not do that. It is tunnel-visioned, thus excluding those who need most help.
Glencree, if it is to work with terrorists at all, must do so separately, and must also adopt a policy of debriefing the terrorists who darken its doors, extracting a genuine acknowledgement from them that what they did as terrorists was and is totally morally wrong, to demonstrate genuine remorse for the profoundly offensive things they did, repent of that wrong, where appropriate seek the forgiveness of those they offended - the victims, and give a sincere undertaking that they will never do such ever again. Where they can make reparations, they must be required to do so. Unless and until these fundamental prerequisites are achieved, and no attempt is being made to achieve genuine reconciliation at Glencree, there can be no reconciliation whatever. Only when terrorists acknowledge, etc, their wrongdoing, will the conditions exist for victims of terrorism to meet with their attackers. I ask, can reconciliation be achieved where the offender maintains that he did nothing wrong? Michael Ignateiff states that without acknowledgement of wrongdoing, reconciliation is impossible. The director of the Helsinki Komitat in Sarajevo pressed upon me that there can be no reconciliation without justice and truth that leads to justice.
That there has been no reconciliation work achieved by Glencree is evidenced by the fact that its 'blue-eyed boys' have admitted publicly that were they in the same situation, they would do what they did again. Names: IRA murderers Dr Patrick Magee, Joe Doherty, Ronnie McCartney; and you can add to this John Nixon, OC of INLA in H M PRISON, the Maze. They would do it again!
I ask, what (mis)understanding of reconciliation does Glencree have that torpedoes the widely held and scholarly understanding of this precious term? Why is it Glencree's aim and practice to completely demolish reconciliation altogether? The very thing the victims of terrorism desire is being denied them by the insistence of Glencree on moral equivalence and inclusivity. We want to 'move forward,' but we are not being facilitated in this by any organisation. But it must be done on the proper terms. All parties have bought into the current, and offensive, political process, which excludes the victims of terrorism, despite the still unacceptable and possibly illegal victims' commission with its terrorist-linked commissioner, the OFMDFM with its IRA commander at the most senior posit
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