
Alan Field
797 posts

Alan Field
@Alan__Field
Everyone is King when there's no-one else to pawn











Wallace Thompson: It's wrong to tar all nationalism with the same brush - there is fault and blame on the side of unionism too trib.al/13WqByR



🚨EXCLUSIVE🚨 Military chiefs and special forces veterans have celebrated a decision by judges to throw out a “ludicrous” judicial review into the use of lethal force by the SAS against an IRA terrorist, which has been described as a waste of taxpayers’ money. They found a coroner was legally entitled to find Soldier B, a special forces trooper, justified in shooting an unarmed IRA driver as part of a collective terrorist threat to life, Belfast Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday. The veteran had been part of an SAS team that intercepted and killed the IRA’s Peter Ryan, Tony Doris and Lawrence McNally, who had been tasked with killing an off-duty member of the security forces in Coagh, County Tyrone in June 1991. British forces fired up to 150 bullets at the men who were travelling in a stolen car, which burst into flames after being hit, burning them beyond recognition. It is the third time Soldier B, now in his 60s, has effectively had his name cleared over the incident following more than four years of court hearings. Former military commanders and special forces veterans have welcomed the news, say the “absurd” appeal was a complete waste of taxpayers’ money. To give an idea of the mission the SAS was involved in, one of the troopers put their lives on the line by pretending to be the target the gang of IRA assassins were trying to kill. The men of the Regiment opened fire on the terrorists the moment one burst from the car and levelled his rifle at the SAS soldier, who had to dive over a wall for cover. Sir @DavidDavisMP told me today the whole “absurd appeal” process had been “beyond a parody”. Full story: telegraph.co.uk/gift/d466d2796…







Many thanks to The Irish News @irish_news for publishing this piece about my book on Seán Lemass. Lemass says here and reiterated it in a fascinating interview with John Bowman aired last Sunday and recorded in November 1970 that unity could only come about when there were better relations in the North between the Unionist and Nationalist populations. You can listen back to the interview here. rte.ie/radio/radio1/b…




𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 Ulster Unionist Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA has said that the latest PSNI data breach is yet another calamity after another with the Justice Department, and a Minister who is never on hand to take responsibility. Doug Beattie MC MLA said: “It's one calamity after another with the Justice Department, and the Minister is never on hand to take responsibility. The Minister’s cries of 'that's an operational matter' or 'they are independent' make you wonder why on earth do we have a Justice Minister and Department of Justice. “The latest data breach by the courts, of serving PSNI officers, puts them at risk. The slippery answer from the department that this was a legal representative mistake hides the fact that they could have stopped such mistakes from happening. “In simple terms, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the courts ensures that those who may be under threat, if their names are released, are given anonymity. Yet in our justice system, it seems process overruled common sense; independence stifles forward thinking, and operational matters are played like a get out of jail card. “If the Department of Justice had a report card for the last 12 months, it would be sitting on a resounding 'F'."





















