There is no longer any room for serious doubt that the degree of penetration was extensive. As Ed Moloney argued about the state of the IRA prior to the 1994 ceasefire:
Without compromising any sources I can say with complete confidence that at this time British intelligence’s own estimate was that one in three IRA members were working for one or other branch of Britain’s spying apparatus, either MI5, British military intelligence or the RUC Special Branch.
At what level, in what capacity or who the actual agents were, we can only speculate. On the back of the Irish News report on Agent AA, Brian Rowan reported on the supposed existence of Agent Zulu 15. The term Zulu is not without significance given the role of the Zulu undermining the struggle against Apartheid, collaborating with the Racist white regime along the way. Although 15 might be the more interesting part of the code name, the inference we may draw being that there has been a whole tribe of Zulus operating within the Provisional IRA.
A number of years ago at an event in West Belfast, Brian Rowan expressed the view that the most senior British agent in the IRA had not yet been unmasked. In the audience eager to disabuse him of this view was Danny Morrison, who suggested that the story most likely emanated from the British security services eager to manipulate Provisional paranoia and sew suspicion. Yeah, right. Morrison, despite knowing about No 10 Downing Street’s Murderer, had nevertheless sought to dupe the public into accepting that Freddie Scappaticci was the victim of a British hoax.
Down here in the South where few seem to care one way or the other about the North, citizens would be ill advised just to shrug their shoulders and mutter “Black North” in the view that it is not something likely to impact on them in any way.
On the contrary it could have a very big effect on them. There is no evidence that any party in the Dail other than Sinn Fein has so much of its membership on the payroll of the British security services.
The upshot is that in the year that marks the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, through its penetration and infiltration of the Provisionals, the British state may have more direct influence over Irish affairs than it has had at any time since 1922. With a Sinn Fein presence in Dail Eireann, it is safe to assume that MI5 is there too.
In that context we can better understand the British Ambassador to Ireland, Dominic Chilcott, when he said last December that he had no worries about working with Sinn Fein were it in government in Dublin.
Republicans should strive to make the centenary of the Easter Rising mean something by keeping MI5 out of the Dail. Don’t vote Sinn Fein.
It seems that the 'Source AA' was mentioned as far back as 4th June 2006 in the comments section of an Indymedia article on the McGuinness spy accusations. Reading the piece it clearly comes from a member of the British 'Security Forces'.
ReplyDeleteThis would appear to discredit claims that the recent leak came from within the Provisional Movement itself.
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Someone very close to Brian Keenan, the Provos' deputy chief of staff, also known as the IRA Adjutant General, was a tout.
Someone equally close to Martin Meehan was also an informer.
Said the new source: "The IRA's north Belfast brigade met regularly in a flat in the Cliftonville Road area".
"Someone very close to Martin Meehan was 'on the books' ". The flat was wired from ceiling to floor.
"That stopped parts of Belfast being flattened by Provo bombs. The boy who was involved there was paid half-decent money. We called what he was doing 'preventive medicine' ".
The IRA OC in Andersonstown at one time was also an informer.
His codenamd was "Chiefy", according to the source.
The IRA OC in the New Lodge was also a tout.
Said the source "He liked a drink. He was codenamed 'AA' - after Alcoholics Anonymous' ".
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76319
Good article AM , Morrison is also adamant that Scap was stood down as from January 1990 , this as we know is complete nonsense , neither was his co interrogator of Sandy , while all the top boyos headed for Dundalk and of course bangers was in custody someone or some people failed to let the rank and file what had happened as word spread about who had been rescued the didn't matter volunteers like Thomas Begley or Sean Kelly who actually weren't active then had no idea about what was happening , some were in Ireland , some were in England and some were even on the European Continent , lambs to the slaughter by looks of things , BTW I'm referring to those from north Belfast who were in the aformentioned places....
ReplyDeleteThe British are already in the Dail and long before SF took their seats. SF just gives them more 'voice' in directing Irish affairs.
ReplyDeleteAs best as I remember Dixie, Fisherman was a pseudonym Ian Hurst/Martin Ingram has used in the past...
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, AM! Perhaps it is time for SF to change their name and admit that they are a completely new organization that bears little resemblance in word or deed to PSF or PIRA of old - they could become the Progressive Democrats of this era - perhaps Provisional Democrats would be a good name given that they can still get away with some "un-democratic" actions such as whacking the odd dissenter.
ReplyDeleteThe oxbridge spooks in London must nearly choke on their cigars and brandy laughing at how easily they puppeteered (and continue to) the whole thing. Such as sad legacy for those of you who were genuinely committed and above being bought.
BTW: With Morrison at least you know when he is lying...his lips are moving.
Leinster house and the Guards, the media etc were well influenced and infiltrated by the British security forces.
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