Putting things in perspective…

SINN Fein members are visiting the site of Auschwitz concentration camp today at the invitation of NI’s Jewish community. One wonders what lessons Gerry Kelly and Martin McGuinness will draw from the experience, but it might make Mr Kelly think about ‘ethnic cleansing’ (and those of his loyalist counterparts) in North Belfast. Frankly, the ‘Troubles’ were nothing compared to the horrors of WWII concentration camps – more people died in Auschwitz than in our entire conflict. In fact, the death …

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‘Stakeknife’ author ‘Martin Ingram’ is in the hot seat…

FORMER Force Research Unit officer ‘Martin Ingram’ has agreed to take questions from Slugger readers. Ingram needs no introduction to regulars here. He was co-author of ‘Stakeknife’, the whistleblowing account of British agents in the IRA and their nefarious activities. He now lives in the Republic of Ireland with his wife. Despite once being in an undercover British army intelligence unit that ran agents and informers inside the IRA, Ingram has expressed sympathy with the nationalist aim of a united …

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A breakdown in communication..?

I wonder if the Omagh bomb victims’ relatives will ever find out what really happened in the run-up to that fateful day. Now questions are being raised about why a Garda informer’s information wasn’t passed on to the PSNI, and why he wasn’t stopped for questioning when customs officials caught up with him in Wales. Answers have not been forthcoming.The last sentence in Norman Baxter’s letter in the last link also appears to suggest that the PSNI had largely ‘translated’ …

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GAA Controversy.

Mixed blessings in Today’s Irish News which in Sports section reports that Next Years GAA Congress might debate rule 42. Less welcome is that the Irish News carries a report, page 10, on controversy over the new GAA club in Twinbrook, which may be in breach of GAA rule eight which insists that the GAA must be non-sectarian and non-party political. Cumann na Fuiseoige has placed specifically republican symbols on it’s club badge which results in the article headline New …

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Much ado about FRU……

TORY MP Patrick Mercer has denied he was a member of FRU, although he “had plenty to do with them in the past, as with all the intelligence agencies in Northern Ireland”. Disappointingly, there was no comment about the ‘ceasefire committee’ Mr Mercer founded in 1992 in either of the two Sundays that ran with the story. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

A nod and wink is not accountable democracy

In the Irish Times, Fintan O’Toole dissects the hypocrisy of the IRA’s private, and secretive, ‘investigation’ into their murder of 15-year-old Bernard Teggart 30 years ago. He contrasts Sinn Fein’s calls for public inquiries on other murders with their silence on this and concludes that, despite the spinning by the two Aherns: The sickness that allowed the IRA to murder a mentally handicapped child in the name of Irish freedom won’t be cured until the so-called republican movement is willing …

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Ceasefire censorship…

DAVY Adams , the former UDP politician, recently broke his silence over the intimidation he and his family have been subjected to by the UDA over the past 18 months. After the murder of Marty O’Hagan and by the LVF the bullying of Anthony McIntyre by ‘mainstream’ republicans, it would seem that paramilitaries are not always going to take criticism from journalists lying down. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

Sport or sanctioned thuggery

Ice Hockey. Does Northern Ireland need a “sport” which glorifies violence? Belfast Telegraph today carries an article which describes a fight as ‘one of the highlights of the match’- and a player describes his role as the Belfast Giant’s new “enforcer” – his qualifications for the job include numerous battle honours including having had “an opponent’s teeth embedded in his fist”. The team is sponsored by Harp Lager. Drink and Violence- No wonder the Dundonald Ice Bowl attracts the sort …

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IMC to link IRA to cigarette raid?

Henry McDonald expects choppy waters ahead for the conclusion of the peace process when a report from the IMC is expected to blame the IRA for “the theft of more than two million pounds’ worth of cigarettes in Belfast last month”. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Mercer’s interest in the ‘dirty war’…

AFTER last night’s claim by Cryptome that Tory MP Patrick Mercer was a FRU officer and his own claim that he was a founding member of a Northern Ireland ‘Ceasefire Committee’ in 1992, it makes some of his statements in the House of Commons look even more interesting…For example, when Kevin McNamara secured a Westminster debate centring on collusion and the Stevens’ Inquiry last year, Mercer is quick to correct him on his use of the names of undercover military …

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What now for loyalism..?

A DECADE after the loyalist ceasefires, Barney Rowan takes a look at the current state of play and asks where loyalism is heading. What role does loyalism have if there is no threat from republicans? Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

Tory MP “was FRU officer”…

INTELLIGENCE website ‘Cryptome’ has alleged that the Conservative Party’s Newark and Retford MP, Patrick Mercer, is a former Force Research Unit operative. Photographic evidence appears to bear this out and the MP’s own online biography contains some curious statements about his time in Northern Ireland…Mr Mercer, Shadow Minister for Homeland Security, appears to be the fourth from the left in the front row of this photograph of FRU agents, which includes former FRU commander and the current military attaché to …

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Hearts and Minds: the ‘loyalist ceasefire’?

Hearts and Minds looks good value tonight: “…the DUP and SF agree on one thing..time’s running out to make a comprehensive deal on restoring devolution. We ask them what they’re doing to make it happen. This week marks the tenth anniversary of the loyalist ceasefire…they’ve murdered 88 people in that decade..now they want more attention in the peace process. Would that stop the killing?” Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the …

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Pogroms vs ethnic cleansing?

There’s an interesting letter in today’s Irish News which argues that whilst the dramatic movement of mostly Catholic populations in the early (1969-1971) period of the troubles are a matter of historical record, the massive shifts in Protestant populations over the time since have gone largely unnamed and unrecognised:”…what has happened in Torrens, Whitewell, Longlands, Oldpark, Cliftonville, New Lodge, Antrim Road, Cavehill Road, Ardoyne, Ligoniel and parts of Glengormley where Protestants have been ethnically cleansed”. “I emphasise ‘ethnically cleansed’ because …

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IRA to strike commemorative medals

Noel Whelan asks a series of rhetorical questions about what looks like plans for the IRA to move out of action and into commemorative mode. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Collusion claims lead to censorship…

THINGS are heating up on a couple of republican bulletin boards. On the General Board at Danny Morrison’s site it claims “You can talk about anything here”… as long it’s not collusion, apparently. Even ‘Martin Ingram’ joined in before the shutters were pulled down, leading to a peculiar game of ‘Guess the ex-FRU agent’s real name’. Bizarre stuff. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

A couple of rounds with the brigadier and the general…

SO Martin McAleese and Jackie McDonald were down at the K Club for a round of golf the other day. “What’s your handicap at the minute?” asked Martin. “Other loyalists,” replied Jackie…Anyway, the pair head off to the 19th hole for a pint, where General de Chastelain is serving Gerry Adams. “Whaddaboutye Gerry mucker, are you getting the rounds in?” shouts Jackie across the bar. “We’ve no more rounds left – barman’s new policy,” replied Gerry, not unhappily, nodding at …

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Danny

Newshound today has an article by Danny Morrison in which he seems to be preparing the ground for another de facto act of surrender by the Provos. In this he talks of the murder and maiming of people at the Brighton Bombing as putting “manners on the colonial power”.This offensive triumphalism – look what WE did – is surely bluster designed to ease the pain of what is to come. It’s unpleasant language – imagine if the British Government described …

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Ervine: ground breaking IRA move

David Ervine reckons there is a serious move coming from the IRA. He warns Loyalists that in the wake of such a measure that they will be in the spotlight, rather than the IRA. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

In the confusion of the mob?

A Tangled web newbie Courthawk, has this tragi-comic account of intimidation in North Belfast last year. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty