Sinn Fein British agent shot dead

BBC News ^ | 4 April 2006

[bd476]

Denis Donaldson was expelled from
Sinn Fein in December

Mr Donaldson was expelled from the party last December after admitting he was a paid British spy for 20 years.

The IRA issued a statement saying it had "no involvement whatsoever" in Mr Donaldson's death in County Donegal.

Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern described the death as a "brutal murder", while NI Secretary Peter Hain said it was "barbaric".

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said he wanted to "disassociate (his party) and all republicans who support the peace process from this killing".

The death of Mr Donaldson came hours before a planned visit to Northern Ireland by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mr Ahern to unveil their blueprint for reviving the assembly at Stormont.

A Downing Street spokesman said that Mr Blair "strongly condemned" the killing and had noted Mr Adams' statement of condemnation.

---

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

4 October 2002: Three men including Mr Donaldson arrested following raid on Sinn Fein's Stormont office. Power-sharing executive collapses and government restores direct rule to NI a week later

8 December 2005: Charges against three men dropped "in the public interest"

16 December 2005: Sinn Fein says Mr Donaldson was a "British agent" and expels him from the party: he later says he worked as a spy since the 1980s Government and police reject the party's claim raid was politically motivated

4 April 2006: Donaldson found shot dead in County Donegal

---

Irish justice minister Michael McDowell said he understood a neighbour had found Mr Donaldson's body on the floor of his house with a gunshot wound to the head.

He said that he had been lying there for some time and was last seen alive on Monday evening by Irish police.

Mr Donaldson moved out of his Belfast home last December, and had been living in a run-down cottage without electricity or running water in County Donegal.

His body was found near the village of Glenties at about 1700 BST.

Mr Donaldson had been Sinn Fein's head of administration at Stormont before his 2002 arrest over alleged spying led to its collapse.

Mr Donaldson and two others were acquitted of charges last December "in the public interest".

One week later, Sinn Fein expelled Mr Donaldson from the party.

At the time, he told a news conference that he was recruited in the 1980s as a paid British agent and deeply regretted his activities.

He said there had not been a republican spy ring at Stormont.

Gerry Adams told the same news conference that Mr Donaldson was not under any threat from the republican movement.

Mr Adams said on Tuesday he had spoken to the Donaldson family just before news of his death broke.

He said he was not prepared to speculate on who might have been responsible.

"It has to be condemned. We are living in a different era, and in the future in which everyone could share," he said.

"This killing seems to have been carried out by those who have not accepted that," he said.

DUP leader Ian Paisley said Mr Donaldson's death would be a setback for the political process.

"If this man has been murdered because of his connection with the IRA/Sinn Fein, and because of the past happenings, then it strikes a blow at what the two governments are trying to do," he said.

[Lost Humanist]

Right on man. well said.

How do the two insurgent wars in Northern Ireland and Iraq compare?
What is the reality of the situation in the South?

Oh and whatever side of the wire we fall on, I reckon I can speak for almost one and all here when I say good on yer for doing your job. Terrible situation, one can only hope that time will improve the conditions and heal open wounds.

[tonycavanagh]

re :How do the two insurgent wars in Northern Ireland and Iraq compare?

In terms of action and operations and blood thirstiness Iraq is a lot worse.

The tactics we are using tho are roughly the same.

Holding the line, while a political settlement is reached.

I watched a program Iraq veterans against the war.

They were talking about the tactics they had to use.

I felt sympathy for these young men. It was not the sort of war they joined up to fight and there lies the nub.

It is a very dirty war.

I was not happy or proud about rousing a family out of there beds at 2 or 3 in the morning while searching for suspects or weapons or any incriminating documents.

Dragging away men or teenage boys while mothers look on tearfully or scream at you.

Children shying away from you as the just under preteens or those just over stare at you with hatred in there eyes.

Rousing granny or granddad out of bed.

I was bought up in a Christan country to protect women and children to have respect for my elders.

That is why it is termed a dirty war as you can feel dirty after such a operation.

But is has to be carried out, you have to look for suspects search for weapons carry out periodic sweeps and use methods reminiscent of the Gestapo.

While the terrorists fight behind civilians, civilians will be in the front line.

[Tulsa Brian]

slave holding nation right up to the 1800s.

And you were a slave holding empire up until the 1800's. What's the difference...

[tonycavanagh]

re :And you were a slave holding empire up until the 1800's. What's the difference...

None we all have skeletons in our countries closets.

You see FatherofFive Tulsa Brian an American agrees with me.

[Axlrose]

About 60 years.

[wreckedangle]

What is the Red Hand? The Clash use the term Red Hand in one of their songs (Radio Clash I think?), and I've always wondered what it meant.

[jd777]

I guess you think the Irish Republic was founded by the Black and Tans?

[Moleman]

Thank you for offering an alternative perspeftive on this issue. Also for your service.

[elc]

Are there IRA sympathisers here?????????

Quite a few that think they are "freedom fighters." They are usually the same ones who drone on and on about the potato famine being genocide.

[Lost Humanist]

So a few then?

Shame. Reading some of the posts around and about this subject it seems that US civvies (Boston and NYC) were giving dollars to funds to be sent back to Ireland to waste more British squaddies.
Thats not really the action of an ally. But then to those kind of people the Brits will always be the bad guys, its bred into them.
It still gets at me though, that US guys are supporting the killing of British forces. But then, these wannabe Irishers have prob never been to the Emerald Isle anyway, and so dont have a clue what they are talking about, instead relying on second hand info and heresay.

[bd476]

Tony, thank you for your service and for writing about your experiences. God Bless.

[elc]

I don't doubt that there are still establishments that pass the hat so to speak. And one of my biggest complaints has always been that US still allows funding of NORAID.

That said, except for very small enclaves of plastic paddies in cities like you mentioned, a lot of the dollars for "the cause" have dried up and the FBI has busted several large gun running schemes in the past couple of years. It ain't perfect, but 9/11 to open a lot of peoples' eyes.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

The Potato Famine was cause by potato blight, for God's sake!!

And what the hell has the Famine got to do with modern IRA??

[Irish_Thatcherite]

What has the events of 80 years ago got to do with the modern IRA????

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Here is a link to the Independent newspapers website:

(you must register, but it's free)

http://www.unison.ie/

[Irish_Thatcherite]

However, the bottom line is that the IRA has made progress and now even President Bush has met with Gerry Adams at the White House.

They haven't made progress - they have just shifted gears - they are trying to gain power here in the south before they try to unite the island.

[Lost Humanist]

Indeed. Very good steps.
I hope that the US Gov will be able to stand up and apologise for allowing its civvies to contribute to the death of British citizens.
A good start though.

Plastic Paddies. Thats a corker! Never heard that one before ;)

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Great posts here tony!!

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Plastic Paddies. Thats a corker! Never heard that one before ;)

Yes, it's a good phrase!!