SAS - truths part 2.

What part did the SAS play in 'The Troubles' of Northern Ireland? And; to what extent did a 'shoot to kill' policy exist? On taking a look at their biggest ambush and most publicized defeat both should be revealing... These were Loughgall 1987 when eight Provisional IRA members (plus a civilian) were ambushed and executed, and, an IRA funeral in 1988 in which army Corporals Derek Wood and David Howes were killed.

IRA members had been attacking and demolishing local Police barracks in a policy of driving their adversaries out until they decided to attack the barracks in Loughgall where there the active service unit involved got ambushed. Speculation has lingered that an informer supplied the information on the attack. Alternatively, for once, as it was said, a pattern had emerged of stealing dumper trucks to take the primed bomb to the location to blow up the police station that was overly obvious for Intelligence to pick up on therefore no informer involvement existed... On the day local police officers were replaced inside the station with six SAS members, two specialist firearms officers replaced other regular officers and a final local officer, also well trained in firearms, was present. His presence there was for the purpose of identifying local IRA suspects and innocent civilians, of whom one was murdered along with the eight IRA members, though three other IRA members did escape due to being distant from the 'kill zone'. The ambush was complete with the 24 strong SAS members split into three divisions hidden in the surrounding countryside positioned so not to get caught in the crossfire. The amount of fire laid down was extraordinary with final single shots heard as the SAS 'were making sure' leaving all nine dead without taking a single casualty.

The background to the deaths of Derek Wood and David Howes is more intricate. Loyalist Michael Stone - the distinctive bugged-eyed long haired killer - attacked an IRA funeral three days previous at Milltown Cemetery thereby creating high tension prior to the forthcoming IRA funeral, which was being televised live. When the two soldiers were spotted in a car pretending to be part of the funeral procession, though claimed to be seen as Loyalists but more obviously recognized as army personnel, they quickly tried to reverse out only to be boxed in by four black taxis whose drivers were suspicious of the pair when fearing another Milltown calamity. A furious mob set upon them dragging them out with only one warning shot in defense being let off from a 9mm Browning. All to no avail. They were dragged away, stripped, beaten, stabbed and murdered. At the time their only hope of survival was to shoot their way out but no attackers were hit. A surveillance helicopter was in the sky to aid their rescue had they bought themselves more time by letting off more lead, which never happened. Regarding status, it has never been publicly stated they were SAS, instead preserving the claimed position of being two Corporals from the Royal Signals so not to hand an even bigger propaganda victory to the IRA. However, an ID card of Howes was found marked 'Herford'. An obvious indication both were from Hereford where the SAS are stationed. Its main purpose was to quickly get them through security checks dotted around Belfast.

So; how were the SAS really allowed to operate in Ireland North and South? Although denied a policy of 'shoot to kill' was so prevalent to the incredible extent that if RUC police officers got in the way of an operation the advice was 'to shoot the cunts'! This exact phrase is repeated from various SAS sources, hence its accuracy. It demonstrates a means of detachment told to SAS members to demean others (including them supposedly on their side!), plus indicating how prized the SAS were over all others operating at the time, and a need to disguised their involvement at all costs. Cover-up operations in these situations could have the blame for which fall upon the IRA who had RUC officers as legitimate targets, where, although suspicions lingered, few would work out what really happened when this occurred.

This author had the SAS follow him from Scotland into Ireland having survived a killing field, which continues to be denied even when the lies have worn so thin nobody believes them anymore, which British State agents turned the west of Scotland into to 'prepare the ground' for a national oil theft from the Clyde Estuary. Rae's most foreboding moment was in Ireland on the 8/8/06 when he intentionally(!) walked into an SAS ambush to see an expected David Gilles gun-in-hand about to murder him. Gilles, the main suspect in the murder of Republican and British informer Denis Donaldson, was later taken out to Afghanistan to be executed. He was deemed spoiled goods due to past actions. An alleged British policy is to murder informers once they become redundant to prevent them revealing past secrets, plus those due for compensation are also allegedly murdered to prevent finance finding its way across to the other side. Regrettably Rae's presence in Ireland unintentionally brought the SAS back in strength with Gilles, Tom Kennedy (pictured) and Martin Jones stationed there. Jones was thrown out the regiment in 2004. Others were drafted in and out as circumstances demanded.