Interesting how SF fall back on "securocrats" when faced with difficulties to appease grass roots; and how DUP fall back on similiar conspiracy theories like treachery, betrayal, "the republican gov't agenda" to appease grass roots.
Both lie and deny when under pressure.
Truth/Reality sacrified for political expediency.
No wonder its said politics is all about perception. A dirty game!

but they are very prominently tying this into the name of the IRA

it goes without saying many of these crime initiatives (stormont, NB etc. ) have so far led to massive overtime payments for cops and not a single prosecution

Rather than tossing off on speculation I'd love NI punditry/journos/webs to shut up on said issue until there is something tangible to say. Like after somebody has been through a court and is locked up...

Remember the allegations of the "Republican spyring" and how the charges were dropped when it came to trial? I suspected then that elements within the security forces were politically-motivated, and I suspect that again.

Brian Boru
How do you square what you've said with the implicit statement that "The British Government has no strategic, economic or selfish interest in Northern Ireland" ( 1993 John Major )

Spirit level, the actual statement was:

"The British Government has no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland" ( 1993 John Major)

i.e. any strategic/economic interest is unselfish.

Remember the allegations of the "Republican spyring" and how the charges were dropped when it came to trial?

Charges were dropped against one person. The other two are still facing charges, AFAIK.

As I understand it under new laws they don't have to convict anyone of anything particularly they just have to establish a paper trail. The test is not whether anyone goes to jail or whether the IRA find themselves £30m down.

*As I understand it under new laws they don't have to convict anyone of anything particularly they just have to establish a paper trail*

No - it appears that it's the person being investigated who has to establish the paper trail.

It is extraordinary that allegations are being made by the Police to the media about an individual who as far as I'm aware they have not even questioned about this case.

Mr Murphy et al are allowed to act with impunity smuggling, racketeering, and general gangsterism for years, all the time the British and Free State governments are aware of what is going on. Then within weeks of the Provos surrendering their arms the screws are tightened!

I am sure those gangsters within the Provisional movement are kicking themselves at being taken in so easily! The British will now move to wipe out their criminal empire without the threat of a return to war. The Provos have shown themselves up as crooks that would be wiling to sell out their 'beliefs' to hang on to their criminal assets and also as gullible, letting the British out manoeuvre them so well.

The interseting thing about this case is that they ARA have not siezed or frozen any assest or property belonging to anyone. Alan McQuillan has spoken in the past of how they only break cover on any investigation when they are ready to act in this case it seems that the investigation is only begining. IMO for political purposes they brief the media secretly that this investigation is looking at a south armagh pig farmer whom some allege is in the IRA.

I might be cynical but it is my belief that if Mc Quillan and co had the evidence they would have acted rather than this ham fisted politically led media inspired charade.

As i and many others have said on this site in relation to other similar threads SHOW THE EVIDENCE.

What I find deeply disturbing in this whole story about money laundering, etc., are the offside briefings and leaks from the ARA which mention, by name, an individual who might or might not face a trial by jury. Where does the right to an unpredjudiced trial come into the picture?

Some of the alleged 'statements of fact', about the individual concerned, spouted by several journalists over these last 24 hours have astounded me. The fact that the BBC and other stations and newspapers have allowed these allegations to go out uncorroborated leads me to wonder if the authorities have any intention of pursuing the matter through the courts at all.

Bottom line? 'Cloud the electoral water. Let's just give Sinn Fein a bloody nose'.

Of course the timing isn't coincidental. The IRA have declared they will use purely peaceful means? Then let the police and ARA loose.


The off-the-record briefing in both ireland and the UK is unjust and worrying however. Not that "the farmer from south armagh" has a reputation worth defending in court, but other may.


For example, anyone remember that "the ira is trying to buy a bank in bulgaria" story the Gardai leaked?


"Borissov confirmed that the Interior Ministry has not received any requests for co-operation from the Irish authorities either.


He expressed his frustration with the fact that so far his Irish colleagues were communicating with the Bulgarian authorities through the media and asked them to make an official contact."


http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/probing-the-irish-stew/id_10866/catid_5

Tom 'Doris Day' Murphy has a problem or two

so does Bobby 'Mad Dog' Storey by the look of things

The ARA raids are presented as a sop to gullible Unionists-typical Blairite politics-make a major fuss and then do absolutely nothing-there will be no arrests-no retrieval of assets-no trial, no conviction. Why has it taken thirty years to act on assts?-why has the government waited until the paper trail has gone cold?-all part of the choreography.

How can you say with certainty that the paper trail has gone cold?
The impression I get is that an investigation is in full swing.

Let's see what happens.

TAFKABO

While on papertrails check out RTE.ie 's lead news story tonight.

Just when you thought all the guns had gone, out comes another, and it's smoking.

Interesting times.

"Just when you thought all the guns had gone, out comes another, and it's smoking.". Hardly a surprise. Even Adams hasn't been denying SF/IRA involvement in the Northern Bank raid now. "They haven't gone away you know", indeed they haven't.