Nice timing
The part that contained an act of coercion at conception at some point
The thran part
So the Police Ombudsman has ruled that there was nothing off with the RUC investigation into the La Mon bombing by the IRA.
One of the most horrific events of the Troubles. Use of petrol created a massive fireball which pretty much vaporised 12 people. They were the lucky ones given the utterly horrific injuries others had to endure.
I know it’s a simplistic question but what the fuck were the IRA at with these type of attacks on civilians? Genuinely what were they thinking and how was it supposed to advance their cause in any way. Surely if they had exclusively attacked police or army or even politicians the whole thing would have gained far more support and achieved so much more from their point of view.
Has anyone listened to the podcast series Stakeknife by the second captains lads?
Officially the IRA said that it was a ‘commercial’ target, in that they wanted to burn the place to the ground with no people in it. They called in a warning which was ridiculously late to get through in time so as to evacuate the building.
The reason they gave for a late warning was a vandalised phone box.
It seems to me if they were really serious about not killing anyone they would have made triple sure that the warning was received well in time including back up plans for vandalised phone boxes which was common at the time,
There was also talk of RUC officers meeting inside being the target which rules out the ‘commercial target’ angle.
I think there was a view that civilian fatalities drew attention to the struggle more and while officially they weren’t targeted not sufficient care was given to ensure they weren’t killed.
Either way it was a horrific atrocity that can’t have any justification whatsoever.
They also had a policy that if you worked for the armed forces even as a trades man or sold them goods, you were a fair target.
‘Collusion’ was a very versatile word at the time.
One of the victims of their proxy bombs was one such person. A cleaner in a RUC barracks or something.
They held his family hostage and ordered him to drive a car bomb into a RUC barracks (not sure if it was the same one), Baducally a forced suicide bomber.
That was in the early 90s when it was clear that there was no winning of the war. Shocking.
Who sanctioned such a horrific act and how close were Adams and McGuinness to it?
He was Patsy Gillespie, a cook in the barracks in the permanent checkpoint at Coshquin on the Buncrana Road, 5 soldiers were killed. On the same night there were similar incidents in Omagh, which failed due to a faulty detonator, and the permanent checkpoint outside Newry where one soldier was killed.
Not just at that time. It enjoyed similar plasticity throughout the 1919 - 1923 era.
If a foreign country ever invades again, we’ll grab our ankles, tape our arse cheeks to be a bit further open, and run the resistance like a Gen Z’s tiktok account.
Documentary on rte radio 1 here about the Provos landing and using RPGs. All the southern leaders from the time talking… my old neighbour Des Long central.
Listening to this today. Very interesting stuff.
Didn’t realise Des Long has published research on the time. Must be some good insights in that.
I wonder what foreign headbangers would make of it
I recorded him for the mount st.Lawrence book a few years back. On the republican plot. His front room had tonnes and tonnes of books and manuscripts.
I’d love a full ‘say nothing’ type of interview with him.
Yes I have listened to it. It is excellent.
It’s brilliant
