It is well known that the same bunch of terrorists who looked for the on the run letters also opposed and continue to oppose the payment of compensation to the victims of semtex supplied by their friend [and Blair’s] Gadafy.
They are supported in this endeavour by the Northern Ireland Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.Such was the NIO and FCO indifference to the claims that pressure had to be applied to wrest control from them and place negotiations in the hands of Sir Kim Darroch, who now reports to the Prime Minister.
The subject is so sensitive up at Stormont that McKibbin, the Permanent Secretary at OFMDFM refused to tell me or Jim Allister what was discussed between the Libyan Prime Minister and the First and Deputy First Ministers at the City Airport, after the G8 summit.
Readers will know that in June 2008, Blair, no longer in office but setting out to be a multi millionaire, met Gadafy and gave him a big hug.It is clear from FCO documents of the time that Blair was brokering a deal which resulted in Bush receiving 1.5 billion dollars from Libya for the American claimants and freezing out the British subjects.
Why did Blair do this?
To ingratiate himself to Bush? “Yo Blair”. Already done some time earlier.
To get a financial advantage from Gadafy? Maybe.
When looked at with the right end of the telescope, the reason is clear.
The payment to UK citizens would involve millions of pounds in compensation going largely to Protestants.SF/IRA still maintain their hatred of Protestants, so for the sake of the peace process, just like with the on the runs, Blair sided with the terrorists.
FCO
Why I admire Jim Swire
The Times today published a letter from Dr Jim Swire, “father of Flora, murdered at Lockerbie”. Can a father ever have written a more poignant phrase?
The bombing, in 1988, remains fresh in the minds of those who were then alive.
British foreign policy might be summed up as ” we have no allies or enemies, only interests”.
Dr Swire has been unswerving in his search for the truth and for justice for Flora, though the twists and turns of the case.
He is a man who fears no-one. Read today’s letter.
He is correct. Who would tell you the truth? The judiciary? The prosecution service? The State?
All is subsumed to the requirements of the State and all the state’s actors play their part.
I wish him well, I hope I can stay the course as he has done.
NI Executive, Libya and the opportunity
One of the problems with the present talks is lack of additional money. Another is funding “the past”. In May 2011, the National Transitional Council in Libya signed a memorandum of understanding in which they said that it was their “sincere desire to enter discussions to consider an appropriately resourced humanitarian fund to be set up to recognise the pain and suffering of such victims and the wider society in the UK , and in particular Northern Ireland”. This was after it had apologised for the harm caused by the supply of guns and semtex to PIRA, led by Martin McGuinness and others.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office was tasked with examining ways in which this fund might be established and resourced. Three years on , it has made no progress.
It is estimated that 3,500 people, mostly in Northern Ireland, could benefit from this fund. It is an important aspect of dealing with the past.
Billions of pounds of Gadafy’s assets are frozen in the UK , yet no politician, or lawyer,local or national, appears to have the skill to make this happen.
Libya-some facts
Some commentators would have you believe that Libya is in need of humanitarian aid. Here are some random facts.
Income from oil in the first half of 2014, $4billion
Crude oil output at 700,000 barrels per day
Owes Uk £14 million for army training costs
Is suing a Tanzanian firm for $37 million
Has assigned members of the Lebanese Bar to identify and recover assets in Lebanon
Cost the British taxpayer £200 million to defeat Gadafy
Who is the fool?
Spot the spook
X is shot dead by Y[unknown to anyone?] as X sits in a pub with A and B.
X’s member of parliament, C, says that it is disgraceful.
D, a journalist, reports on the shooting of X.
E, X’s lawyer, says that he has written to C, X’s MP.
C calls upon F , the relevant minister, to condemn and investigate the killing.
G is appointed to investigate the killing and report to F
candidates are asked to spot the spook, or alternatively the non-spook….
Libya and the craven British Government
A British diplomat wrote these words to Moussa Koussa, the head of Gadafy’s intelligence agency. [Think PIRA nutting squad, only bigger].
“most importantly I congratulate you on the safe arrival of Abu Abd Allah Sadiq. This was the least we could do for you and for Libya to demonstrate the remarkable relationship we have built over the years”
This man had been kidnapped by British Intelligence and handed over to Moussa Koussa.
The message was sent to a regime which had supplied the IRA with guns and semtex , used to kill hundreds of British citizens in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain.
Not one penny of compensation has ever been paid by Libya, despite £200 million being spent by the British Government , bombing Gadafy’s army during the Libyan Spring.
Perfidious Albion is found both at home and abroad.
Bassingbourn, Libya and the inept Tory government
Imagine that the ruler of a country supplied the terrorists in your country with guns and explosives, which killed many of your fellow countrymen and caused billions of pounds worth of damage. That ruler was overthrown but many of his supporters are still around. The other country said sorry and promised to compensate for the deaths and injuries. Only three years on , it hasn’t. Unabashed they sent soldiers to be trained in your country and promised to pay for it, only they haven’t. Better still some of the men they sent committed sexual crimes in your country.
That would be a queer sort of country to live in , wouldn’t it?
Terrorism and frozen assets
Nobody can explain why assets are frozen and when they might be unfrozen. If the freeze was to punish Gadafy, well he is long gone. If it was to stop a long list of his family and henchmen from helping themselves, well that has worked too. Meantime the money, shares, property etc, sits wherever it is, doing not much for anyone.
David Cameron, in March 2011 said that “the assets really do belong to the Libyan people ” and did not support the idea of using a fraction of the wealth to compensate Libyan victims of semtex.
The NTC gave Jason McCue a promise to pay compensation, a month later.
On 27 July 2011 the British Government recognised the National Transitional Council “as the sole governmental authority in Libya”.
In August Henry Bellingham Foreign Office Minister, wrote to Dr McCrea MP, about my claim and said: “I know Mr McCue was able to get a MoU signed by Abdul Jalil of the NTC which gave agreement to compensation. It may be possible to consider, when the time is right, making a further approach to the NTC for the setting aside of assets for compensation”
This language is typical of mealy mouthed Foreign Office speak. When somebody makes you a promise to pay but does not pay, the time is immediately right. No hand wringing necessary.
Time for the FCO and the Prime Minister to show some steel in support of victims of terrorism.
The time is right.
Terrorism in the UK
To those affected by PIRA’s use of Libyan semtex anywhere in the UK, I suggest that we make more noise, that we question why Cameron has not secured the same rights for us as for our US “Allies”;that we draw his ambivalence and sloth to a wider audience and that we give him no peace until payment is secured.
Contact me on this blog if you agree, let’s build up a head of steam!
Cameron-talking tough-doing what?
On 4 May 2014, the Sunday Telegraph reported that the Prime Minister had appointed Sir Kim Darroch: “to lead a new effort to gain compensation from Libya”. Six years after the Americans were paid. Five months on, I have heard nothing from Sir Kim. Cameron talks a good game but has delivered nothing. Many victims are in ill health and old age. Many are in dire financial straits. This compensation, which Libya has admitted is due to the victims, would transform their lives. Meanwhile, how many British firms are doing business with the Libyans? Time for action, Prime Minister.
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