Margaret Thatcher....

[Myles Na G.]

you obviously have no idea what was going on in N.Ireland during the 70's and 80's if you believe that the British were too concerned where their info was coming from as long as it was what they wanted to hear. They interned hundreds of innocent people with no information at all

You think the British state forks out big salaries to a lot of career securocrats, only to ask some ex UDR major to jot down a few names on the back of a fag packet? You think they went to all the trouble and risk of running agents and informers within the ranks of the IRA, when all they had to do was give Ken a call?

[Nally Stand]

Thatcher and the IRA. BBC1 now at 9pm. Might be interesting.

Good programme

I'd have to disagree with you there. Contained nothing new whatsoever. The only headline worthy bit of it was in the news already at the time it was filmed, which was Ken Maguinness providing more proof, as if it were needed, that there was a shoot-to-kill policy adapted by the British in Ireland and directed from the very top; after stating that he personally give Thatcher the names of the IRA men whom he believed were behind the attack on a busload of British soldiers at Ballygawley, and his stating how the three men he named were shot dead by the SAS ten days later. (The three in question being the Drumnakilly Martyrs - brothers Vol's Gerard & Martin Harte and Vol. Brian Mullin).

That bit sounded more like Ken trying to big up his own importance a bit. Seriously, you think the British government is going to rely on an MP for its security information?? 'There's been a shooting in Fermanagh - get on the phone and see if Ken knows who's responsible. And what about that bomb in East Belfast? Has Peter Robinson told us who planted it yet?' Please.

You neglect to mention that Maginnis was a UDR Major for some time and was the most senior unionist politician with regards to "security". If you think he wasn't privy to information then you're extremely naive.

You don't think she'd have summoned the Chief Constable, the Heads of Special Branch, MI5, MI6, etc etc and got her info direct from them, rather than asking Ken to puff out his chest and name names he heard from some dodgy UDR source?

She didn't summon anybody. Maginnis wasn't summoned to Downing St. He and another individual requested the meeting with Thatcher in the wake of Ballygawley. And a meeting was swiftly held.

[lawnseed]

you obviously have no idea what was going on in N.Ireland during the 70's and 80's if you believe that the British were too concerned where their info was coming from as long as it was what they wanted to hear. They interned hundreds of innocent people with no information at all

You think the British state forks out big salaries to a lot of career securocrats, only to ask some ex UDR major to jot down a few names on the back of a fag packet? You think they went to all the trouble and risk of running agents and informers within the ranks of the IRA, when all they had to do was give Ken a call?

Why'd the police not give ken a call if he knew so much.. ? Deluded old man

[Nally Stand]

you obviously have no idea what was going on in N.Ireland during the 70's and 80's if you believe that the British were too concerned where their info was coming from as long as it was what they wanted to hear. They interned hundreds of innocent people with no information at all

You think the British state forks out big salaries to a lot of career securocrats, only to ask some ex UDR major to jot down a few names on the back of a fag packet? You think they went to all the trouble and risk of running agents and informers within the ranks of the IRA, when all they had to do was give Ken a call?

Why'd the police not give ken a call if he knew so much.. ? Deluded old man

If you think the most senior politician on "security" issues wasn't in regular contact with the RUC, in particular when he's about to meet the PM, and in particular after 8 British Soldiers were killed in an attack in his constituency, then it's you who's deluded.

[Myles Na G.]

you obviously have no idea what was going on in N.Ireland during the 70's and 80's if you believe that the British were too concerned where their info was coming from as long as it was what they wanted to hear. They interned hundreds of innocent people with no information at all

You think the British state forks out big salaries to a lot of career securocrats, only to ask some ex UDR major to jot down a few names on the back of a fag packet? You think they went to all the trouble and risk of running agents and informers within the ranks of the IRA, when all they had to do was give Ken a call?

Why'd the police not give ken a call if he knew so much.. ? Deluded old man

If you think the most senior politician on "security" issues wasn't in regular contact with the RUC, in particular when he's about to meet the PM, and in particular after 8 British Soldiers were killed in an attack in his constituency, then it's you who's deluded.

So, like I asked earlier, why would the UK PM take security briefings from some old buffer from the sticks, rather than the professional securocrats that governments routinely surround themselves with? Why wouldn't she ask the RUC, rather than a 3rd party 'in regular contact with the RUC'? The words monkey and organ grinder spring to mind.

[Nally Stand]

you obviously have no idea what was going on in N.Ireland during the 70's and 80's if you believe that the British were too concerned where their info was coming from as long as it was what they wanted to hear. They interned hundreds of innocent people with no information at all

You think the British state forks out big salaries to a lot of career securocrats, only to ask some ex UDR major to jot down a few names on the back of a fag packet? You think they went to all the trouble and risk of running agents and informers within the ranks of the IRA, when all they had to do was give Ken a call?

Why'd the police not give ken a call if he knew so much.. ? Deluded old man

If you think the most senior politician on "security" issues wasn't in regular contact with the RUC, in particular when he's about to meet the PM, and in particular after 8 British Soldiers were killed in an attack in his constituency, then it's you who's deluded.

So, like I asked earlier, why would the UK PM take security briefings from some old buffer from the sticks, rather than the professional securocrats that governments routinely surround themselves with? Why wouldn't she ask the RUC, rather than a 3rd party 'in regular contact with the RUC'? The words monkey and organ grinder spring to mind.

And maybe she did contact the RUC too. Themselves and aul Ken aren't mutually exclusive.