IRA Human Bombs 'Brainchild Of British Intelligence'
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Courtesy Of: IrelandOn-Line
29/08/2006

Britain's intelligence services may have masterminded an IRA human bomb strategy which killed soldiers and civilians in Northern Ireland in 1990, a lobby group claimed today.

The British Irish Rights Watch (BIRW) said counter-terrorism agencies may have been behind the lethal strategy, which saw six soldiers and one civilian die after civilians linked to the security forces were made to drive explosives into army facilities.

The pressure group has sent a dossier to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)'s Historical Enquiries Team about the October 1990 bombing of three army installations and checkpoints, two of which exploded.

An official report from BIRW said:

"It is known that at least two security force agents were involved in these bombings and allegations have been made that the human bomb strategy was the brainchild of British Intelligence."

"Questions arise as to whether the RUC, An Garda Siochana and the Army's Force Research Unit had prior and/or subsequent intelligence about the bombings."

"These questions in turn lead to concerns about whether these attacks could have been prevented and why no-one has been brought to Justice."

A worker at a Derry Army base, Patsy Gillespie, was used by the IRA as the first human bomb and forced to drive a large explosive device to a military checkpoint at Coshquin near Derry, where it exploded.

The bomb was set off while he was still in the driver's seat, killing him and five soldiers--Stephen Burrows, Stephen Beacham, Vincent Scott, David Sweeney and Paul Worral.

Another soldier, Ranger Cyril Smith, was killed the same night in a similar attack on a permanent checkpoint at Killeen near Newry. Civilian James McEroy, 68, was injured after being ordered to drive the van and its deadly cargo or see his two sons shot.

An attempt to bomb Lisanelly Army barracks in Omagh, Co Tyrone, was foiled when explosives failed to ignite.

The claims may be linked to allegations made by an unknown Army agent, who said the RUC's Special Branch had three IRA agents involved in three separate attacks in South Down in 1989 and 1990.

...At the time, there was widespread criticsm of the IRA's human bomb attacks, which were seen as particularly savage and mericless.

The Catholic Bishop of Derry, Dr Edward Daly, accused Republicans of crossing a new threshold of evil...

Source:
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=193693218&p=y936939z4