Colin Wallace
On the Colin Wallace front, the big event since issue 17 has been Paul Foot’s book, Who Framed Colin Wallace? (Macmillan, 1989). With this book Paul Foot has re-researched and synthesised all the previous work and produced what is likely to remain the definitive account of Wallace’s biography, his allegations and – most interestingly – the attempt by the British state to discredit him. With a couple of notable exceptions, the book has had wonderful reviews. The exceptions are the Guardian, for whom Clive Ponting wrote a very odd, almost evasive review (2 June 89); and the New Statesman and Society (21 July 89) in which Duncan Campbell tried to undermine Wallace and denigrate the book -presumably because it was a story he had first go at and didn’t pursue. The important positive reviews in the national press are:
- Daily Telegraph 15/7/89 by Mark Bonham-Carter.
- The Scotsman 3/6/89 by Tam Dalyell MP.
- The Independent (10/6/89) by Godfrey Hodgson. This included a disparaging reference to the David McKittrick smear in this paper in September 1987 and is tantamount to an apology for it.
- The Spectator (10/6/89) by Robert Kee (‘exciting, brilliant and profoundly disturbing’).
- London Review of Book s (6/7/89) by R. W. Johnson. This is two complete pages plus, a brilliant summary of the text as well as the best account of the weight of the Wallace material -‘The British Watergate’.
The Foot book was raised in Parliament by Ken Livingstone (Hansard 27/6/89 columns 943 – 952) and by Tam Dalyell (Hansard 8/6/89 columns 428- 431). Both were met with variations on the government’s basic theme of ‘It’s all been investigated and there is nothing to be said’.
Lord Stockton, the head of the Macmillan group which published the book, called for a full judicial or parliamentary inquiry into the book’s allegations. (Sunday Telegraph 23/7/89)
Magazines
Extra! – the journal of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) – was mentioned in Lobster 17, but I forgot to put in their address. It is FAIR 130 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001. Extra! is an acute analysis of the American media, its ownership, control and biases. No information on the cost of foreign subscriptions is given, so write and ask if outside the US.
Top Secret is the English-language version of the German parapolitical magazine Geheim. So far only the first issue, 0/88, has come our way, though a second issue is said to have appeared. (A free sample copy of issue 0/88 might be had from Nick Wright, 34 Woodnock Road, London SW16 6TZ.) Last 1 heard he had some left. Send an A4 addressed envelope with 40p worth of stamps on it.) The first issue was marred somewhat by very poor proof-reading – a fault which will be corrected in succeeding issues by Wright. This is very much Agee country anti-CIA, naming names etc..
The first issue of the Study Group on Intelligence Newsletter has appeared. This ‘Study Group’ is a group of British academics working in spook country, and how widely they are willing to release their newsletter is unclear. The first issue is rather good, containing a survey of British courses which include an intelligence component, a list of forthcoming conferences and seminars on the subject, a review of the FBI file on Burgess and Philby, and a long list of recent and forthcoming intelligence publications. The newsletter is published by Robert Aldrich, Department of Politics and Contemporary History, University of Salford, M5 4WT, UK, to whom inquiries should be addressed.
Freedom Research is an anonymous ‘montly summary of the activities of UK based organisations supporting Marxist “1iberation movements’ and regimes.’ I have issue No 8 of volume 2 (January 1989). This 16 pages, word-processed, fully-documented. Somebody is putting a lot of work into producing this, scouring the British and Irish press (local and national) for names and organisations. Without going back to all the original sources it is not possible to decide if these reports are accurate or not but I suspect they are. It is produced by Freedom Research, BCM Box 9200, London WC1N 3XX. No price is stated.
British Briefing is also anonymous, without even a box number, and is therefore illegal under British law. On the first page it is stated: ‘British Briefing will not necessarily be available on request and is not available by subscription. Those on the receiving list are ask to treat this publication as confidential. Specifically, while recipients may make free use of the information therein, they are asked to refrain from mentioning it, or its existence, and from direct quotation.’ I have issue No 12, 1989. It is 18 pages, word-processed and its contents list includes: Another Gospel?, Charities, the Anti-Economic League Campaign, the London Co-op Society Political Committee, Facing up to the Future (on the CPGB’s recent discussion document), and so on. This is reminiscent most of the now defunct Common Cause Bulletin which fronted material from MI5’s F Branch. Some of its preoccupations are really quite bizarre. There is, for example, nearly a page about a sculpture of the late communist MP, Willie Gallagher. To whom could this conceivably be of interest outside Gallagher’s patch in West Fife? Information on and other copies of both British Briefing and Freedom Research would be much appreciated.
The Keys of Peter is the ‘bimonthly paper faithful to the authentic teaching of the Church’. Every once in a while it includes something of interest to us. In issue 129, for example, there is a long account of, and attack on, Catholic groups which support the Nicaraguan government against the contras; issue Sept/Oct 1989 is entirely devoted to Austrian opposition to Hitler, and begins, ‘The Masonic peace of 1919’ (!) KOP is 4.00 per year, from 157 Vicarage road, London E10 5DU. KOP also has an interesting, if somewhat cranky mail-order catalogue.
Briarpatch is a radical magazine from Saskatchewan, Canada. It regularly prints interesting parapolitical articles by one of its members, George Martin Martz. The issue of November 1988 has a detailed account of the network of support in Canada for UNITA; that of February 1989 has a long account of the South African government’s propaganda effort in Canada. (Both appear to have been reprinted in issue two of Top Secret which arrived as this was being type-set and which I have not had time to read.)
Briarpatch, 2138 McIntyre St., Regina, Sask. S4P 2R7, Canada. 1 year overseas sub. is $29.00 (Canadian).
Corruption and Reform – An International Journal is a newish (into its third volume) and a rather interesting development for academic journals. The issue I have seen (Vol. 3 number 3) is entirely devoted to political scandals: papers included are ‘Studying political scandal’, ‘Scandals in American political life’, ‘Political scandals in West Germany’, ‘The dynamics of scandals in British politics’, and so on. Where it differs from a parapolitical approach is in the way the academic authors concerned treat the ‘scandals’ as if they were straightforward, entirely understood ‘data’. Thus, for example, on p. 253 there is a reference to Chappaquiddick and the fact that The Reader’s Digest ran a large piece on it, reopening the story. But there is no reference to the Digest’s post-war activities on the political right, let alone the recent allegation by Fred Landis, that it has been working with the CIA. On p. 255 the author states:’the details of Watergate hardly need retelling’ – as if anyone is actually clear what was really going on. (Anyone who thinks that obviously hasn’t read Jim Hougan’s Secret Agenda.)
This is the central point: this journal – to be precise, the solitary issue I have read – isn’t actually concerned about ‘what was really going on’ (or even the interesting problems about whether it is possible to know when you reach ‘what was really going on’). The result is rather odd: ‘scandals’ are analysed and classified, common themes are sought, ‘dynamics’ identified; yet in almost all of the ‘scandals’ referred to in this volume what was actually going on (being done by whom) is entirely unclear.
A sample copy can be had from: Martimis Nijhoff Publishers, c/o Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, PO Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Zeta In these generally dismal times for the ‘radical’ press, it has been no little pleasure to come across an intelligent, readable and forceful American monthly. Zeta is published by the Institute for Social and Cultural Change (whoever or whatever that might be), and calls itself ‘an independent political magazine of critical thinking on political, cultural, social and economic life in the US. It sees the racial, class and political dimensions of personal life as fundamental to understanding and improving contemporary circumstances, and it aims to assist activist efforts to attain a better future.’ So we’re not exactly talking Reader’s Digest. Each issue I’ve seen has contained over 100 pages of good quality material on, for example, US foreign policy, ecology, and the US media. Zeta’s contributors include the likes of Sheila Rowbotham, Joel Kovel, and the consistently excellent Noam Chomsky. Highlights of the issues I’ve seen include pieces by John Stockwell on US foreign policy/destabilisation; Edward Herman on ‘freedom of speech’ in the U. S. media; and an interview with Philip Agee. Zeta has also published quite the most comprehensive and intelligent piece I’ve seen on the European ‘Autonomen’, written by George Kastificias, the author of last year’s excellent ‘Global Imagination of the New Left’. All in all, it’s excellent, and for an insight into the domestic and international implications of the Reagan-Bush doctrine, pretty well invaluable. It is also a good deal more optimistic and radical than one might expect any US journal to be deep in the trough of the Reagan/Bush years. The only major criticism I’d make is that it’s nigh on impossible to get hold of a copy in this country. I sent my subscription money about six months ago and have had to send a couple of reminders to get the four copies I’ve got so far. But yes, I’d say it’s worth it. 150 West Canton St., Boston, Ma 02118, USA. 1 year’s overseas subscription is (US)$45.00.
Dave Stamp
Covert Action Information Bulletin No 31 is devoted to domestic surveillance in the US. Of particular interest to UK readers is a piece about the International Freedom Foundation (IFF) which is operating in Britain. The entire issue is up to CAIB’s usual standards of documentation. (And no, they still haven’t found Lobster worthy of a mention yet!) P0 Box 50272, Washington DC 20004, USA.
Catalogues
Although Tom Davis Books (PO Box 117, Aptos, California 95003) is the best single parapolitical mail order catalogue, M and A Book Dealer, (PO Box 2422, Waco, Texas 76703) has a very large, more specialised collection of material on American assassinations from Lincoln onwards. Kennedy assassination buffs in particular should have a look at their catalogue.
Non print media
Spybase, Daniel Brandt’s computer data base on spooks and things parapolitical is now available in Britain, via the Shareware network, for the very low price of 15.00 for 6 disks (5.25 inch disks) from: Richard Alexander, CGH Services, Cwm Gwen Hall, Pencader, Dyfed, Cymru, SA39 9HA. (Telephone enquiries to Pencader 574.) (NB this offer only applies to UK readers. Non-UK readers should contact Daniel Brandt, Box 5369, Arlington VA 22205, USA.) Spybase includes an index of Lobster from issue 9 onwards (as well as practically everything else you could think of.)
Archives on Radio is the project of one Dave Emory. Parapolitics by radio? I have only heard one of the cassettes on which Emory, with a colleague, discusses a theme and reads extracts from newspaper articles. At first it seemed strange to be listening to people reading me newspaper articles. Then it dawned on me that most of the clippings they were reading would be immensely difficult to get hold of outside the USA. Audio quality is good. If this reminds you of the late Mae Brussell’s radio programmes, be advised that while Emory is a fan of Brussell’s, his tapes (on the basis of hearing just one) are more intelligible and less speculative than Brussel’s were.
Mae Brussel died of cancer last year. Her archives are now in the hands of the Mae Brussell Research Centre (PO Box 8431, Santa Cruz, Ca 95061). I only heard odd fragments of her output (17 years of radio broadcasts) and it was variable in the extreme. Most of it was undigested junk, but every once in a while she would see something months – even years – ahead of anyone else. The Research Centre is going to produce newsletters, clippings etc.
Help Wanted
- Peter Jordon was convicted some years ago of being part of a conspiracy, with members of INLA (if memory serves), to assassinate a British Army officer. Whether he was guilty or not (or what he thought he was doing) I have no idea. Upon his arrest the police confiscated all his research materials — all from public sources — and won’t return them. Jordon has been through the usual channels (NCCL, MP etc) without success. Being in prison doesn’t make it any easier. Is there a Lobster reader, preferably with legal knowledge willing to help him try and get his materials back? It hardly needs stating that the power to confiscate research material is bad news for lots of us. Write to Lobster first.
- Information is being sought on the following individuals, most journalists, many possibly connected to various state-sponsored media/newspaper enterprises of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
- Ernest Ray Lewis
- Andrew Marshall
- Dennis Warner
- Michael Derek Carr
- Jennifer Hale
- John Epstein
- Ian Dunlop
- James Partington
- E.C. ‘Jim’ Brown
- S.J.W. ‘Jack’ Coles
- David Hay Neave (deceased)
- Douglas Evans