Introduction Like most dramatic and unsettling political events, the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca temporarily captured the imagination of the world’s media and political pundits. Although the initial public outrage and concern generally faded once it became clear that the Pope would survive, certain individuals and groups … Read more
See also: British Fascism 1974-92 (Lobster 23) British Fascism 1974-92 (II) (Lobster 24) British fascism 1983-6 (Lobster 25) British Fascism 1983-6 (II) (Lobster 26) In Lobster 25 my study of the National Front (NF) ended at the start of 1986, when, despite storm clouds on the horizon, the NF was the largest, most visible, and … Read more
Many thanks, as always, to Terry Hanstock for contributions. Comments and contributions welcome. My email is ‘War on Terrorism’: Repercussions of 11 Sept. 2001 The Sept 11 2001 attacks on the US and subsequent ‘war against terrorism’ have provided law enforcement/intelligence agencies with an opportunity to push for sweeping new powers, plus fast-tracking of … Read more
Clippings Digest to May 31st. 1984 Policing The Miners Up to May 30th. These are only brief references to the major elements. Magistrates setting restrictive bail conditions. Guardian 5th April Police trying to buy NUM badges Guardian 19th May Police changing their ID numbers for picket duty Tribune 25th May Pickets charged with conspiracy for … Read more
Introduction What follows is an interim report about Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. In so far as it has a central thesis, it is that Jones initiated the Jonestown massacre because he feared that Congressman Leo Ryan’s investigation would disgrace him. Specifically, Jones feared that Ryan and the press would uncover evidence that the … Read more
Thanks again to Terry Hanstock and Dr David Turner for contributions. Comments and info welcome – my e-mail address is Electronic Privacy/ECHELON Cryptome http://cryptome.org/ http://jya.com/crypto.htm John Young’s acclaimed New York-based website on encryption and intelligence. Constantly updated, John Young and his ISP, Verio, have stood firm against requests to remove material that might be … Read more
Thanks again to Terry Hanstock and David Turner for contributions. Although all URLs are checked shortly before publication, occasionally websites unaccountably disappear. Contributions, comments and info welcome – my email address is Secrecy, censorship FOI and released records Freedom of Information Draft Bill http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/dfoibill.htm Link to the draft FOI Bill (May 1999) and FOI … Read more
Introduction On May 20th this year the San Francisco Examiner ran a story by Kathy Kadane which began, ‘The U.S. government played a significant role in one of the worst massacres of the century by supplying the names of thousands of Communist Party leaders to the Indonesian army, which hunted down the leftists and killed … Read more
‘God Helps the Bad when they outnumber the Good‘ (Mexican proverb) Business brought me to Mexico City on the day Luis Donaldo Colosio, Presidential candidate for the PRI (Partido Revoluncionario Internacional), was assassinated in Tijuana. The TV coverage of the event was every bit as obscure and unhelpful as the TV reporting after the JFK … Read more
‘Rug merchants’ was the epithet former White House Chief of Staff Don Regan used to describe the Iranians who negotiated secret arms deals for nearly a year with senior officials of the Reagan Administration, including Oliver North of the National Security Council. Regan’s dismissive characterization hardly did justice to the sales skills of North’s Mideast … Read more
