An Phoblacht/Republican News , 27. February 2003
Feature:
British collusion Brigadier posted to the Gulf
By Laura Friel
In the late 1980's and 1990's, Kerr was the commanding officer of the Force Research
Unit, one of the most secret units within the British army. During this period the British government reorganised, rearmed and redeployed unionist paramilitaries (in the North of Ireland). Behind the smokescreen of taking the war to the IRA' the British state colluded in the murder and attempted murder of unarmed republicans, political activists, their families, catholic civilians and even defence lawyers, Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson. The complete cynicism with which the British state is prepared to operate is clear by this final irony. It is believed that Kerr's role in the Gulf will involve the post war prosecution of key members of Saddam's regime for crimes against humanity.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair was recently described by one
of his own backbench MP's as the true heir to Margaret Thatcher.
Diane Abbot was commenting on her party leader's enthusiasm for
America's pending imperialist adventure in the Middle East but
this week's events concerning Britain's dirty war in Ireland
gives substance to Abbot's words beyond the original observation.
In the late 20th Century, as the then British Prime Minister,
Margaret Thatcher personally presided over the activities of one
of the most secret units within the British army. Through the
operation of the covert Force Research Unit the British state
engaged in one of the most serious crimes of any body politic,
commissioning the murder of citizens within its own jurisdiction.
According to former FRU operatives all details of the covert
unit's activities, including assassinations, were passed to
Margaret Thatcher and the British Cabinet during her premiership.
Amongst around 200 people believed to have been killed as a
direct result of British collusion with loyalist paramilitaries
is Belfast defence lawyer Pat Finucane.
In the early 21st Century the current British Prime Minister Tony
Blair has presided over the ensuing cover up. Instead of pursuing
a clear break with a discredited past, rather than signalling a
new beginning, Tony Blair has chosen to carry the mantle of a
former Tory Prime Minister and utilise rather than dismantle some
of the most dangerous, anti democratic forces within the British
state.
Last week London Metropolitan police chief John Stevens announced
that he was preparing papers for the Director of Public
Prosecution regarding Brigadier Kerr and up to 20 former and
serving RUC/PSNI officers and British soldiers concerning
evidence of collusion in the killing of Irish citizens in the
north.
But even as he announced the pending prosecution cases Stevens
knew it would be unlikely to be brought to trail. He had played
his part, (14 years of so called investigations and not a single
successful prosecution) Stevens told the media but it would be up
to the DPP and Attorney General to decide whether to charge
Brigadier Kerr and the others.
In the event the British Ministry of Defence decided to thwart
even the pretence of due process by posting the Brigadier to the
Middle East within days of Stevens' announcement. Until recently
Kerr had been serving in one of the most senior diplomatic roles
available to a serving British soldier as the British
government's military attache in Beijing.
With predictable arrogance a spokesperson from the British MOD
dismissed criticism about the posting. "As far as I'm concerned
Brigadier Kerr is a senior serving officer and he will be
deployed as we see fit," he said.
Shifting responsibility for the decision back to John Stevens,
the MOD spokesperson continued, "we do not see how is current
posting is relevant to the Stevens inquiry. It would only be
relevant if the police had said that Brigadier Kerr should remain
in the country. That wasn't said."
"This posting makes Kerr untouchable," a senior military source
told a Scottish newspaper, "He is not going to be dragged away
from essential war work in an operational theatre to talk to the
police or prosecutors. Kerr has landed on his feet with this
posting. It shows that the whole of the Stevens inquiry is
nothing but a whitewash. He is never is going to end up in a
court of law."
"This posting keeps him safe and protects those in the army who
are above him, and those politicians who were in power when the
FRU was carrying on these activities in Ulster, from ever having
to answer nasty questions that might arise through him being
arrested or charged," said the British military source.
At the height of the collusion controversy, in the late 1980's
and 1990's, Kerr was the commanding officer of the Force Research
Unit, one of the most secret units within the British army.
During this period the British government reorganised, rearmed
and redeployed unionist paramilitaries. Through a network of
agents, Gordon Kerr and his FRU operatives, selected targets,
provided intelligence and organised assassinations.
Behind the smokescreen of taking the war to the IRA' the British
state colluded in the murder and attempted murder of unarmed
republicans, political activists, the families, including
children and pensioners, of known republicans and Sinn Fein
politicians, catholic civilians and even defence lawyers, Pat
Finucane and Rosemary Nelson.
Kerr's ruthless methods extended even beyond those who the
British state identified as its enemies. An illustration of the
depths to which Kerr was prepared to descend is the killing of
Margaret Perry. A FRU agent working within the IRA believed a
girl with whom he was having a relationship had discovered he was
working as an informer.
Fearing exposure Greg Burns contacted his FRU handlers and
informed them his position, and that of two close associates also
acting as informers, had been compromised. FRU agents are
promised eresettlement' packages if their cover is blown but Kerr
refused and instructed Burns to get himself out of the mess.
The refusal meant only one thing and Kerr was aware that Burns'
next move would be to murder Margaret Perry. Burns' associates
Aidan Starrs and Johnny Dignam, lured Margaret into travelling
across the border to evisit' her lover who had checked himself
into a hospital. Margaret Perry was driven to a forest where she
was strangled and beaten to death. Her body was discovered in
June 1992. Burns, Starr and Dignam were executed by the IRA a
short time later.
Last December Kerr was interviewed by the Stevens team inquiry
into the killing of Belfast defence lawyer Pat Finucane.
Following the interview Stevens indicated that he had gathered
significant evidence to charge Kerr along with others. But even
before Kerr's posting to the Gulf few believed he would ever be
brought to trail.
"This latest development shows clearly that the [British]
government not only supports Kerr but will protect him should he
need protection from possible prosecution," said Pat Finucane's
son Michael.
"I have no confidence in John Stevens' investigation ever
producing a successful prosecution, certainly not against a
[British] army brigadier," said Michael, now a Dublin solicitor.
"The circumstances surrounding the murder of my father clearly
show British army and British government collusion in the murder.
It is clear that this policy of collusion continues even to this
day, except that instead of colluding with loyalists, the British
army and government are colluding with each other to ensure that
the matter stays covered up."
The complete cynicism with which the British state is prepared to
operate is clear by this final irony. It is believed that Kerr's
role in the Gulf will involve the post war prosecution of key
members of Saddam's regime for crimes against humanity. Tony
Blair, Maggie Thatcher, it seems a British Prime Minister is a
British Prime Minister is a British Prime Minister.