British security forces helped terrorists to kill

[iain]

I'm not sure what to make of this story on the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2954773.stm).

A report by a senior British police officer says that a branch of the British security services actually helped loyalist terrorists to kill catholics in the late 1980s. The victims were not (as far as I can see) terrorists themselves.

It is understood the latest report, called Stevens Three, will find that members of the RUC and army colluded with the largest loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), to murder Catholics.

...

The Stevens investigating teams found obstruction and even harassment from both the army and elements of the RUC's special branch.

They say a fire at their offices in 1990 was arson and they feel that throughout their inquiries, they were spied on and betrayed by police and army colleagues.

[Jon_in_london]

Doesnt suprise me at all.

Suppose you have group A and B trying to kill each other.
Now introduce group C to try and keep them apart.
Group B now starts targeting group C as well.

Is it any wonder than groups A and C will start coluding against group B? Even with the best intentions of impartiality, this kind of thing is bound to happen. As for those IRA people who were killed as a result... I wouldnt piss on them if they were burining in any cae.

[iain]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london
Doesnt suprise me at all.

Suppose you have group A and B trying to kill each other.
Now introduce group C to try and keep them apart.
Group B now starts targeting group C as well.

Is it any wonder than groups A and C will start coluding against group B? Even with the best intentions of impartiality, this kind of thing is bound to happen. As for those IRA people who were killed as a result... I wouldnt piss on them if they were burining in any cae. I don't think the victims were all IRA people.

The Times article (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-648944,00.html) suggests that they were "suspected IRA members" but the British don't exactly have a shining record when it comes to correctly identifying IRA terrorists (Birmingham Six, etc.)

The Guardian article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,2763,938328,00.html) says Sir John's team believes that Nelson, who died last week, was responsible for at least 30 murders, and that many of the victims he helped to identify were not involved in terrorism.

The British Secret Services appear to have played an active role in escalating the conflict in Northern Ireland, supporting one terrorist organisation against another and causing the murders of a number of innocent people in the process.

I really don't see how this can be defended.

[richardm]

It's not too dissimilar to the current idea that it's okay to kill suspected terrorists while they're driving along in Syria. Anyone else with them is killed as well, but that's okay, because you kill a suspected terrorist.

If nothing else, it shows that that sort of thing doesn't help at all in the long run.