Another Hillsborough Style Witch Hunt?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47540271

[ichkeria]

Michael Stone ag yes: good old “Stoner”
I read a book about him once which was focussed on his life leading up to the funeral attack - in his pre-performance art days :-)

[agchristie]

'Stoner' is an unbelievable character.

Just one of the many mad men in the history of The Troubles...

[chrissa1]

Ag. I’ve just had a quick look for it and couldn’t find it. I’ll keep trying.

[agchristie]

Chrissa1,the detailing of the tracking of the Gibraltar 3 and logic of the investigators is an eye-opener in particular.

[chrissa1]

Ag. I’ve found it and it’s on order. Thanks.

[ChillDoubt]

as in - we know the men imprisoned for 15 DIDN'T do it]

whereas on Bloody Sunday there were these men in army uniform ....

did one man manage to shoot four people ? soldier F
one is a mistake - two unfortunate but four - more like a massacre ....
—————-
You might want to revise that as Soldier F is being accused of killing 2, not 4, but don’t let hysteria sway you......

As for the rest I was in and around a lot of the incidents here mentioned, having completed 3 tours of NI between 84 and 88(inc).
The 3rd Tour was the one that sticks in my mind most in regards to incidents.
Loughall happened just up the road, there was Ballygawley, I was a mile away when the 2 R. Signals Corporals were murdered(ironically on a shopping trip from Drummad Bks in Armagh, I vomited upon return to camp while I watched the news reports), the Michael Stone killings, Gibraltar, 2 colleagues injured/maimed at Glassdrumman OP to name but a few.
Some were found and prosecuted(Loughall was classed as an SF counter-attack) but many have not been, or those who were had themselves pardoned.
So why, some 47 years later are we STILL reopening old wounds?
There is absolutely no point in this prosecution and the chances of a fair trial for an ex soldier in NI are decidedly minimal.
Unless we want secterianism to have its ashes stoked all these matters are now best left in the past, it’s the only way forward.

[agchristie]

Chrissa1 - glad you found it ;-)

Chill - testing times I'm sure.Well done on your service..

Loughgall was the RUC station? JCB used in the attack? Prominent IRA commander taken out if I recall? Sadly,innocent civilian caught in the crossfire...

[ChillDoubt]

Yes ag, 6 terrorists killed after they blew up the station, bomb in a JCB bucket, the digger stolen earlier that day.
There were rumours that the civilian was in fact a photographer for An Phoblacht on standby to take ‘happy snaps’ of the aftermath but these proved unfounded.
It was an SAS ambush with support provided by 14 Int and E4A.
So many innocents maimed and killed over the decades, sadly.

And thank you.

[ludwig]

f f ske, let's see the evidence of what happened that day before passing judgement on it, however tempting.

[agchristie]

ludwig,

Certain facts I have referred to have already been established generally at the Saville Inquiry.

However,with regard to 'Soldier F', I make no comment as to whether he is guilty of the charges made.That,as you say,is for the court to decide.

[agchristie]

Chill, thanks,my recollections were fairly accurate.

I was trying to recall the IRA guy at Loughgall.I'll check later but think his name was 'Lynagh'

The SAS and support were only ever going to prevail that day!

[waterboatman]

The army doings it's and get vilified, The ira walk free. I don't see any justice in that.
Lawyers lining there already overstuffed pockets again!

[waterboatman]

Army doinng it's job!

The SAS were not involved in Bloody Sunday. It was the Parachute Regiment.

[ichkeria]

Ag is talking about Gibraltar. Helps to read previous posts :-)

[waterboatman]

True enough!

[agchristie]

Indeed I was Ich!

On checking,it was Jim Lynagh,known as 'The Executioner' at Loughgall.

[THECORBYLOON]

CHILLDOUBT, you said, "the chances of a fair trial for an ex soldier in NI are decidedly minimal."

If you are suggesting a jury might be partial, there were Diplock courts for many years, trying cases without a jury in specific types of offences.

It is possible still to have trials without a jury and I think it likely there will be no jury in this case.

[agchristie]

//there were Diplock courts for many years, trying cases without a jury in specific types of offences//

The last such one a few years ago was a joke and just goes to show that being judged by one sitting judge can be dangerous.

Soldiers killed at the now disused Massereene Barracks saw two Defendants tried.One was acquitted and the other convicted.The convicted man won his appeal.The original judge's comments were staggering (it was his final case I believe).

Which just goes to show that although potentially safer for witnesses,no such guarantees can be given to Defendants whose freedom lies in the hands of one man only.

[10ClarionSt]

AGC, sorry for the late reply but I'm busy "doing stuff" in Malta. Yer know? A critical piece of evidence for sure but my friend passed away some years ago. Even if he'd given evidence to that effect, would he have been believed? Me telling you, what he told me, is classic heresay. So, is it rue? We'll never know. But it's still outrageous that known terrorists have been pardoned while Soldier F faces prosecution. Breathtaking.

[agchristie]

10ClarionSt,no problem,nobody is on a timer ;-)

Sorry to hear about your friend.Who knows whether he would have been believed but, undoubtedly,a key bit of evidence.

I would love to know what 'Soldier F' is thinking right now.

I would ask him how he feels about his superior overruling his own superior's orders regarding the men being there in the first place.