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Conference tallis::celt

Title:	Celt Notefile

Moderator:	TALLIS::DARCY

Created:	Wed Feb 19 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1632
Total number of notes:	20523

1483.0. "South African inquiry on arms for loyalists" by GYRO::HOLOHAN () Wed Jun 28 1995 09:49


The Irish Times
June  19, 1995
                                The Irish Times



                          June  16, 1995, CITY EDITION



SECTION: HOME NEWS; Pg. 8



LENGTH: 667 words



HEADLINE: SF plans submission at South African inquiry on arms for loyalists


BYLINE: By EDWARD O'LOUGHLIN and JIM CUSACK



 BODY:

     SINN Fein  is planning to make a submission to a South African arms inquiry
on a major 1988 arms shipment from South Africa to three loyalist groups in
Northern Ireland.

   The shipment, which included 150 Kalashnikov assault rifles, eight rocket
propelled grenade launchers (RPGs) and a sizeable quantity of pistols, hand
grenades and ammunition, was divided between the Ulster Volunteer Force, the
Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Resistance.



                         The Irish Times, June 16, 1995



  Speaking at the South African parliament in Cape Town yesterday, the  Sinn
Fein  president, Mr Gerry Adams, said the weapons had revitalised the loyalist
sectarian campaign. While 50 Catholics had been killed in the six years prior to
the shipment, 300 had died in the five years afterwards.


   Mr Adams was speaking on the second day of his visit to South Africa, during
which he is to meet President Nelson Mandela.

    Sinn Fein  is hoping to present a submission on the shipment to the Cameron
Commission, set up by the new ANC led government last year to investigate
illegal weapons sales by Armscor the state owned weapons manufacturer and
dealer.



   According to an aide to Mr Adams, Mr Richard McCauley, any submission is
likely to rely heavily on revelations from the trial of the former British agent
and UDA intelligence officer, Brian Nelson.  Nelson visited South Africa and
helped arrange the shipment, and  Sinn Fein  believes British military
intelligence and the apartheid government were involved in the conspiracy.


   The three loyalist groups paid Pounds 200,000 for the weapons, which was
below the market price. Later that year three loyalists and two South Africans -
one a diplomat - were arrested in Paris as the loyalists tried to hand over
dummy parts for an experimental Starstreak missile. During the apartheid years
South Africa frequently resorted to espionage to obtain state of the art
technology for its weapons industry.


   According to Mr McCauley  Sinn Fein  is working with two South African
lawyers to prepare the submission. The Armscor shipment to the loyalists has not
yet figured in the Cameron Commission's investigations, which have focused
mainly on an illegal shipment of Kalashnikov rifles intercepted on its way to
Yemen. The commission is mandated to examine breaches of arms embargoes after
1990, but Mr McCauley said  Sinn Fein's  lawyers are hopeful that a way can be
found to introduce the 1988 loyalist consignment.


   Mr Adams was visiting parliament yesterday to brief the select committee on
foreign affairs on his view of the peace process.


   Earlier in the day he had meetings with Gen Constand Viljoen leader of the
Afrikaner nationalist Freedom Front, and Ms Patricia de Lille of the radical Pan
Africanist Congress.



   The  Sinn Fein  president, whose visit was arranged by the ANC so he could
learn how South Africa reached its negotiated settlement, later praised Gen
Viljoen for deciding to enter the peace process shortly before last year's
elections.



LANGUAGE: ENGLISH



LOAD-DATE: June 16, 1995

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1483.1 South Africa to expose how Britain armed loyalists GYRO::HOLOHAN Thu Jan 04 1996 09:39 75

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1483.1	South Africa to expose how Britain armed loyalists	GYRO::HOLOHAN		`Thu Jan 04 1996 09:39`	75
	An Phoblacht/Republican News \| Thursday December 21 1995 [An Phoblacht/Republican News] South Africa to expose how Britain armed loyalists THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT has agreed to investigate British collusion with loyalist death squads. The decision to support an investigation was confirmed to Sinn F�in by the South African Minister for Justice, Dullah Omar, and the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ronnie Kasrils, days before the party made its submission to the International Body on weapons decommissioning. The announced inquiry will focus on covert arms shipments from Apartheid South Africa to loyalists in the Six Counties in the late 1980s. Welcoming the development, Sinn F�in President Gerry Adams described it as a ``vital breakthrough in the long search for truth and justice''. The decision follows a period of intense engagement with the new South African government by Sinn F�in and the relatives of those killed by loyalists using South African weapons. The ministers also confirmed that a report submitted by Sinn F�in will be handed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for investigation. An investigation will undoubtedly reveal more details of the role of British Military Intelligence in the procurement of weapons for loyalist death squads in the Six Counties. It will also further expose the hypocrisy of the British government's current stance on arms decommissioning. In 1988, 200 AK47 assault rifles, 80 pistols, grenades and RPG7 rocket-launchers were smuggled from South Africa. British agents, including Brian Nelson, are known to have played key roles in the procurement. The South African shipment represented a major boost to the loyalist arsenal and resulted in a massive increase in sectarian attacks. In the six years prior to the importation of South African weapons, loyalist death squads killed 71 people. In the six years after, they killed 229 people and injured many hundreds more. GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION The investigation will be carried out by the Cameron Commission which was initially appointed by the South African government to investigate covert shipments of weapons to the Middle East, but a sub-clause in the commission's remit allows further investigation into any similar illegal or undercover deals involving Armscor, the procurement arm of the former Apartheid regime's military establishment. In April 1989, three loyalists, including prominent members of Ulster Resistance, were arrested in Paris along with South African agents representing Armscor in an attempt to trade arms for details of a Shorts missile being developed in Belfast. Describing the South African decision to hold an investigation as the ``result of the efforts of many people to sweep away the secrecy and establish the truth about events in the Six Counties in the mid 1980s'', Gerry Adams said the breakthrough had ``the potential of placing the spotlight on one of the most controversial series of events to have occurred in 25 years of conflict''. Earlier this year, at the invitation of Sinn F�in, two prominent lawyers from Johannesburg visited the Six Counties and compiled a report on arms shipments from South Africa to loyalists. During his visit to South Africa in June 1995, Gerry Adams raised the issue with Judge Cameron. Commenting on the investigation, Martin Finucane from the Derry-based human-rights organisation, the Pat Finucane Centre, said he hoped it would expose the real role of the British state in the conflict. British agent Brian Nelson has already admitted involvement in the loyalist killing of human-rights lawyer Pat Finucane, whose death continues to be the focus of international concern. ``The Nelson affair highlights once again that Britain has no right to claim the high moral ground in this conflict,'' says Martin Finucane. ``The British government has blood on its hands too.'' BY LAURA FRIEL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents Page for this Issue ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reply to: An Phoblacht/Republican News, 58 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

           An Phoblacht/Republican News | Thursday December 21 1995

                        [An Phoblacht/Republican News]

               South Africa to expose how Britain armed loyalists

THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT has agreed to investigate British collusion with
loyalist death squads. The decision to support an investigation was confirmed
to Sinn F�in by the South African Minister for Justice, Dullah Omar, and the
Deputy Minister for Defence, Ronnie Kasrils, days before the party made its
submission to the International Body on weapons decommissioning.

The announced inquiry will focus on covert arms shipments from Apartheid South
Africa to loyalists in the Six Counties in the late 1980s.

Welcoming the development, Sinn F�in President Gerry Adams described it as a
``vital breakthrough in the long search for truth and justice''. The decision
follows a period of intense engagement with the new South African government by
Sinn F�in and the relatives of those killed by loyalists using South African
weapons. The ministers also confirmed that a report submitted by Sinn F�in will
be handed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for investigation.

An investigation will undoubtedly reveal more details of the role of British
Military Intelligence in the procurement of weapons for loyalist death squads
in the Six Counties. It will also further expose the hypocrisy of the British
government's current stance on arms decommissioning.

In 1988, 200 AK47 assault rifles, 80 pistols, grenades and RPG7
rocket-launchers were smuggled from South Africa. British agents, including
Brian Nelson, are known to have played key roles in the procurement. The South
African shipment represented a major boost to the loyalist arsenal and resulted
in a massive increase in sectarian attacks. In the six years prior to the
importation of South African weapons, loyalist death squads killed 71 people.
In the six years after, they killed 229 people and injured many hundreds more.

                            GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION

The investigation will be carried out by the Cameron Commission which was
initially appointed by the South African government to investigate covert
shipments of weapons to the Middle East, but a sub-clause in the commission's
remit allows further investigation into any similar illegal or undercover deals
involving Armscor, the procurement arm of the former Apartheid regime's
military establishment. In April 1989, three loyalists, including prominent
members of Ulster Resistance, were arrested in Paris along with South African
agents representing Armscor in an attempt to trade arms for details of a Shorts
missile being developed in Belfast.

Describing the South African decision to hold an investigation as the ``result
of the efforts of many people to sweep away the secrecy and establish the truth
about events in the Six Counties in the mid 1980s'', Gerry Adams said the
breakthrough had ``the potential of placing the spotlight on one of the most
controversial series of events to have occurred in 25 years of conflict''.

Earlier this year, at the invitation of Sinn F�in, two prominent lawyers from
Johannesburg visited the Six Counties and compiled a report on arms shipments
from South Africa to loyalists. During his visit to South Africa in June 1995,
Gerry Adams raised the issue with Judge Cameron.

Commenting on the investigation, Martin Finucane from the Derry-based
human-rights organisation, the Pat Finucane Centre, said he hoped it would
expose the real role of the British state in the conflict. British agent Brian
Nelson has already admitted involvement in the loyalist killing of human-rights
lawyer Pat Finucane, whose death continues to be the focus of international
concern.

``The Nelson affair highlights once again that Britain has no right to claim
the high moral ground in this conflict,'' says Martin Finucane. ``The British
government has blood on its hands too.''

BY LAURA FRIEL

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Reply to: An Phoblacht/Republican News, 58 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.