Green Without Blue and Long Memories (Cops/Mumia)

The echo from the shots which rang out some twenty-six years ago near the intersection of Locust Street and 12th Street in Philadelphia can still be heard today.

Exactly 85.9 miles from the spot where Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner fell, masses will be gathering and preparing to march in the Newark St. Patrick's Day Parade.

However, for the first time in many years a deeply entrenched tradition will be broken: there will be no police officers among the participants.

To serve as this year's parade honoree, organizers chose Congressman Donald Payne. This choice drew the ire of New Jersey law enforcement (read out editorial) and Philadelphia law enforcement as well.

Last December, Congressman Payne voted against a Resolution condemning a city in France for naming a street after Mumia Abu Jamal, the street animal who murdered Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner.

In response, the New Jersey State FOP formally objected and requested parade organizers to reconsider their choice. (Read FOP President Edward R. Brannigan's letter)

Then, in an incredible statement of solidarity and unfading memory, Newark officers announced they will not be marching.

None of these officers even knew Daniel Faulkner, and many weren't even yet born when he was killed.

We find it absolutely awe inspiring that such allegiance still flows through our ranks.

The relationship between police officers and firefighters can best be compared to that between two brothers. They sometimes fight, but they're always there for each other when needed.

Well, the firefighters have once again proven themselves to be loyal and caring brothers. It was announced yesterday that they too would be boycotting the parade.

Whether anyone else skips this year's parade remains to be seen, but, honestly, who cares.

It's already been shown that a 25-year-old policeman who was brutally murdered a quarter century ago has not been forgotten by his fellow knights.

LEST WE FORGET!

http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=4764

Police Officer Daniel J. Faulkner
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 9, 1981

Biographical Info
Age: 25
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: 4699

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, December 9, 1981
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: Convicted of murder

Officer Faulkner was shot and killed while making a traffic stop.

Officer Faulkner stopped the driver of a light blue Volkswagen at the corner of Thirteenth Street and Locust Street for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Officer Faulkner had the driver exit the vehicle.

As Officer Faulkner was speaking with the driver, the driver struck Officer Faulkner in the face. Officer Faulkner struck the driver back and attempted to take him into custody. As Officer Faulkner was attempting to subdue the driver, the driver's brother came running from a parking lot across the street from the spot where Officer Faulkner had the driver of the Volkswagen. While Officer Faulkner's back was turned, the brother of the driver opened fire, striking Officer Faulkner in the back four times. Officer Faulkner fell to the ground, but was able to return fire, striking the suspect. The wounded suspect was able to fire again as he stood over the fallen officer, striking him in the face.

The suspect attempted to flee but fell to the ground several feet from where he had just shot Officer Faulkner. When back-up officers arrived they found Officer Faulkner mortally wounded and the suspect, murder weapon in hand, laying several feet away.

The suspect, who was a member of the racist group Black Panthers, was charged with murder. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in two separate trials. In December 2001 a federal judge overturned the death sentence and ordered a new sentencing hearing.

Officer Faulkner had served with the agency for 5 years. He is survived by his wife.

The Black Panthers was a racist, radical group that professed the murders of law enforcement officers. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of at least 15 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation.

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, the other fallen heroes from the BP's racist terrorism:

Related Line of Duty Deaths

Police Officer John F. Frey
Oakland Police Department, CA
EOW: Saturday, October 28, 1967
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Officer Thomas E. Johnson
Metro Nashville Police Department, TN
EOW: Tuesday, January 16, 1968
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Officer Charles W. Thomasson
Metro Nashville Police Department, TN
EOW: Sunday, March 17, 1968
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Officer Nelson K. Sasscer
Santa Ana Police Department, CA
EOW: Thursday, June 5, 1969
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Patrolman Frank G. Rappaport
Chicago Police Department, IL
EOW: Thursday, November 13, 1969
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Patrolman John J. Gilhooly
Chicago Police Department, IL
EOW: Friday, November 14, 1969
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Police Officer James T. Sackett Sr.
St. Paul Police Department, MN
EOW: Friday, May 22, 1970
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Patrolman William A. Miscannon
Toledo Police Department, OH
EOW: Friday, September 18, 1970
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Police Officer Glenn E. Smith
Detroit Police Department, MI
EOW: Saturday, October 24, 1970
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Cadet Alfred E. Harrell
New Orleans Police Department, LA
EOW: Sunday, December 31, 1972
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Patrolman Philip J. Coleman Sr.
New Orleans Police Department, LA
EOW: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Patrolman Paul A. Persigo
New Orleans Police Department, LA
EOW: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Deputy Superintendent Louis Joseph Sirgo
New Orleans Police Department, LA
EOW: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Sergeant Edwin C. Hosli Sr.
New Orleans Police Department, LA
EOW: Monday, March 5, 1973
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Park Ranger Kenneth Carmel Patrick
United States Department of the Interio..., US
EOW: Sunday, August 5, 1973
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Deputy Sheriff Ricky Leon Kinchen
Fulton County Sheriff's Department, GA
EOW: Friday, March 17, 2000
Cause of Death: Gunfire

"Certainly, they are entitled to make a statement, but the reason that U.S. Rep. Payne is being recognized is his strong commitment to Irish issues over the years as a member of Congress," he said. Giblin said Payne has "stood tall" for the Irish by helping Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams get a visa so he could visit the United States and by making visits to Ireland and Northern Ireland.

I guess Giblin thought this bit of info would make us feel warm and fuzzy?

FEBRUARY 2005 : (SINN FEIN LEADERS INCLUDING GERRY ADAMS ARE MEMBERS OF THE IRA'S COMMAND) DUBLIN, Ireland - In an unprecedented confrontation, the Irish government on Sunday publicly identified three of Sinn Fein's top figures — including party leader Gerry Adams — as members of the Irish Republican Army command. The government's blunt declaration indicated it no longer would tolerate Adams' protestations that his party should not be held accountable for IRA actions. The shift is intended to force the illegal IRA to disarm fully and disband, or risk the marginalization of the legal Sinn Fein. Political passions are reaching a boiling point in Ireland over the IRA's alleged $50 million robbery of a Belfast bank — the biggest heist in history — and an unfolding investigation into wider IRA money laundering. The Irish government says Sinn Fein leaders are involved in both. (Excerpt) Read more at story.news.yahoo.com ...------- "Ireland: Three Sinn Fein Members in IRA," Associated Press ^ | 02/20/2005 | SHAWN POGATCHNIK

AUGUST 11, 2001 : (COLUMBIA : IRA MEMBERS MONAGHAN, MCCAULEY & CONNOLLY - THE LATER ALSO SINN FEIN'S OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO CUBA- ARE ARRESTED; CONNOLLY IS THOUGHT TO HAVE INITIATED CONTACT WITH FARC THROUGH THE SPANISH TERROR GROUP ETA-- See ETA-FARC-IRA-CUBA CONNECTION) Allegations of a FARC-IRA connection arose after the arrest of three Irishmen in Bogotá in August 11, 2001. The men, James Monaghan, Martin McCauley, and Neil Connolly, were traveling using false passports, and found to have traces of explosive on their belongings. All three were subsequently charged with training FARC members in the use of explosives. Security sources in both the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic say the men are IRA members.
Monaghan is believed to have designed the IRA homemade mortar. Originally developed with Libyan help in the early 1970s, the primitive Mark I prototype has evolved into the much more sophisticated Mark 18 "barracks buster," named for its effectiveness in targeting security force bases in Northern Ireland.
Monaghan’s skill in making this weapon has earned him the nickname "Mortar Monaghan." Similarly, MaCauley and Connolly are reported to be among the IRA’s best explosive experts.
Connolly is believed to have initiated contact with FARC through the Spanish terrorist group ETA five years ago, and known to be the official representative in Cuba of the Sinn Fein, IRA’s political wing. The appointment was initially denied but later admitted by the party. Sinn Fein’s President Gerry Adams claimed that Connolly was appointed without his knowledge or that of the international department of Sinn Fein, while confirming that "one of our [Sinn Fein’s] senior members asked Niall Connolly to represent the party in Cuba." When asked by Columbian authorities, Monaghan, MaCauley, and Connelly had initially insisted that they were in FARC’s semi-autonomous safe-haven as eco-tourists, but later claimed to be in Columbia to view the peace process and exchange experiences on this and the one in Northern Ireland.
Adams denied that any training had taken place and refused to attend an April hearing into any FARC-IRA connection, saying he did not want to prejudice the trial of the three captive Irishmen. U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), chairman of the House International Relations Committee, said at the hearing that there had been a "quantum leap in the FARC’s terrorist proficiency on the ground and in urban warfare, which the Columbian authorities believe is attributable to IRA training." This improvement in FARC’s capabilities is apparent from the huge expansion in attacks in the past 18 months that has left 400 Columbian Army and police personnel dead. The attacks saw a shift to economic and urban targets as well as the increased use of car bombs — a development that has caused the death of 10 percent of the country’s bomb disposal experts since January. Columbian forces have also been increasingly targeted by ‘secondary devices’ — explosive devices used to ambush anyone responding to other, more apparent bomb threats. Longer range mobile mortars such as those pioneered by Monaghan have also recently become a new weapon in the FARC arsenal.
Such strategy, tactics, and equipment bear remarkable similarities to those used by the IRA, greatly heightening the suspicion that Monaghan, McCauley, and Connolly were in Columbia for reasons other than eco-tourism or an exchange of experience on peace negotiations. Moreover, indications that the IRA retains international links with other terrorist groups do not stop in Columbia.
There have also been reported links between the Irish terrorists and their Palestinian counterparts. According to a former British Army bomb disposal expert with extensive Northern Ireland experience, the improvised explosive devices recently diffused by him in the Jenin refugee camp are identical to those he had only previously seen used by the IRA. Paul Collinson, who now works for the Red Cross, says the Palestinian devices were also placed using IRA-style tactics he had seen used in Armagh, Londonderry, and Belfast. Collinson, who has worked on bomb disposal in the Palestinian territories, as well as in Afghanistan, Columbia, and Egypt, says this is the first time he has seen IRA weaponry and tactics used outside of Northern Ireland.
Links between the IRA and Palestinian groups is not a new concern for Israel. The Irish group is known to have established contacts with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine [* My note : the PFLP is supported in part by Saddam Hussein of Iraq] in the 1970s, as well as meeting with other such groups in Libya in the 1980s.
--------- CDI Terrorism Project: "Globalizing Terrorism: The FARC-IRA Connection," CENTER FOR DEFENSE INFORMATION , June 5, 2002

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.