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Britain condemned on loyalist bombing { December 11 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://politics.guardian.co.uk/northernirelandassembly/story/0,9061,1104400,00.html http://politics.guardian.co.uk/northernirelandassembly/story/0,9061,1104400,00.html Britain condemned on loyalist bombing Judge's report on Dublin and Monaghan killings criticises lack of cooperation and says involvement 'not fanciful' Angelique Chrisafis, Ireland correspondent Thursday December 11, 2003 The Guardian The British government today faces tough questions about the controversial role of its intelligence services in Northern Ireland after an Irish report found "grounds for suspecting" that British security forces helped loyalist paramilitaries to bomb the Irish Republic. Four car bombs ripped through Dublin and Monaghan on May 17 1974, killing 33 people in the worst atrocity of the Irish troubles. Last night an independent report by the retired supreme court judge Henry Barron found it was "neither fanciful nor absurd" to suggest members of the security forces in Northern Ireland could have aided and abetted loyalist paramilitaries in bombing the Irish Republic. But he said Britain's lack of cooperation in handing over documents was disappointing and had limited "the scope of the report". Irish politicians were quick to criticise Britain's lack of transparency. Mr Justice Barron said the material he assessed did not suggest senior members of British intelligence were involved in the bombings. But there was a possibility of involvement by individual members of the British army, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, or the locally recruited militia, the Ulster Defence Regiment. Members of the RUC and the UDR were likely to have participated in, or been aware of, plans for the attacks. The bombing operation was prepared on a farm owned by a RUC reserve officer. But the judge found that the loyalist paramilitaries, which included members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, were capable of acting alone. There was no hard evidence that the bombings were officially or unofficially sanctioned by the British authorities in Northern Ireland. Mr Justice Barron added: "Unless further information comes to hand, such involvement must remain a suspicion. It is not proven." He found that British intelligence and Special Branch may have hampered the Irish police investigation in order to protect their own relationship with loyalist paramilitaries. Mark Durkan, leader of the SDLP, said the British government had to face up to its responsibilities and fully cooperate with further inquiries. "The British government has treated the judge's efforts with a silence that betrays contempt. We need better from Britain than this." Greg O'Neill, solicitor for Justice for the Forgotten, a group of survivors and families of victims, said Britain had a "moral obligation to come clean" to the relatives. "Britain must decide whether it wants to be eternally suspected of being involved in sponsoring terrorism." The families were distraught at the report and hoped it would spark a public inquiry. The report was also critical of the Irish government of the day for showing "little interest" in the bombings. The Irish police investigation was flawed and vital Irish department of justice files were found to be missing, it said.

Belfast spy denies being informer { May 13 2003 } Brit agent stakeknife murdered hundreds in ira { May 14 2003 } Britain condemned on loyalist bombing { December 11 2003 } Britain detains innocents for IRA bombings British agent posing as IRA networks with PLO { April 7 2006 } British agent stakeknife summonsed to high court london British allowed ira terror attack { April 10 2006 } British army allowed ira to bomb ulster British army officers terrorize as ira agents British spy in ira murdered { April 5 2006 } Collusion murder coverup { April 18 2003 } Deadly mole ira { May 12 2003 } Infamous terrorist was army plant { March 4 2001 } Ira leader jailed took libya shipments Ira mole on the run { May 12 2003 } Ira security chief british agent Mi5 mole in sinn fein fear of assassination Military intelligence prolonged 1980s conflict { November 9 2003 } Most feared men in ira british special forces { December 15 2002 } Murderous collusions Northern ireland peace destabilised Npr whitewash ira spy { May 12 2003 } Paisley denies secret dublin talks Police pin bank heist on IRA { January 8 2005 } Rogue british agent blows ira mole cover { May 4 2003 } Rogue british agents name mi5 bosses { June 30 2002 } Security forces colluded Security officers aided sectarian murders Thatcher cabinet pressed { April 18 2003 } Thatcher ordered paramilitary assasinations { June 23 2002 } Top british mole in ira exposed { May 12 2003 } Top ira leader was british spy Files Listed: 32

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