40 June 24, 2007

EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL AGENT BELIEVES CASE IS CLOSED

TMartin
HEwasDshotIAatRY OF A EXCLUSIVE by JOHN CASSIDY
EIGHT years ago last Sunday, an IRA hit-team tried to murder
RUC Special Branch agent Martin McGartland.
But nearly a decade later, Northumbria Police are no closer to bringing
his would-be killers to justice.
In fact, McGartland believes the file on his case is closed and police refuse to con-
firm there was even terrorist involvement in the murder bid.
His name no longer appears on the force’s website seeking information about what it

8.42am...
describes as ‘Major Enquiries’.
And no new appeals for information were made last weekend as the ninth anniversary of
the daring hit passed with-
out a mention.
Despite offering a mas-
sive £100,000 reward to
bring his killers to justice,
McGartland – codenamed
‘Agent Carol’ – believes a
THE following is a a diary kept by Martin McGartland political hand is preventing
and his partner Joanne Asher in the days, weeks, detectives from putting the
IRA squad behind bars.
and months after the IRA tried to kill him. Today, the Sunday World
Thurs, June 17, 1999 publishes exclusive
Martin was shot at 8.42am. Police arrived just after 9am with ambulance. extracts from his diary that
No adviser on duty. They were all on the way to training from HQ he and his long-term part-
Tues, June 29, ner Joanne Asher kept
Martin was released from hospital into safehouse. I went back to work. since the shooting.
Police decoy from hospital. On June 17, 1999, an IRA
Tuesday, July 6, hit-team lay in wait outside
10.3am Keith Oliver (KO) came his Duchess Street home in
with info: (1) know everything Whitley Bay home in North
about Bedford van, who sold (it), East of England.
was bought in Felling; (2) curtain As he opened his garage
from inside the van; (3) 700 tapes of door at 8.42am to drive
CCTV footage; (4) Nissan Bluebird away in his souped-up Ford
car – searching council lock-up Focus car, a heavily clothed
garages; (5) scanning equipment IRA gunman stepped out
was bought from Newcastle; (6) from the back of a Bedford
they tried to rent a flat in Blyth van, and shot him six times.
opposite Martin’s flat. His explosive diaries
Tues Aug 3, reveal that:
After Martin was taken for a drive *police refused to send
with the police protection team. I armed response vehicles
and one of the officers PC Dave into the area because there
Young were discussing the shoot- was a gunman on the loose;
ing. He informed me that the police *police refused to let an
armed response teams were sup- ambulance go to the scene
posed to go to there morning of TARGET: Martin McGartland and, top,the diary kept by him and his partner for 20 minutes;
Thursday, June 17, were ordered
not to go to the scene. They were Keith Oliver called press confer- exposed in court. Told the police Blood
told to remain at Monkeaton Metro ence at Bedlington at 10am. He was about the man at Larne Harbour, *valiant neighbours
station which was (RVP) by an asked by Radio 5 Live: Has this any- 5ft 9in, 5ft 10ins, medium build defied the gunman, saving
Inspector who was in the control thing to do with drugs? Oliver: ‘No. dark hair, clean shaven, casual his life by stemming the
room. The police also kept the While I am well aware of his per- clothes, carrying no luggage. He blood from his bullet
ambulance away from the scene. sonal background, there could be was looking at me and then came wounds;
another move such as a personal and spoke to me. He went away *police refused to give
Confirm vendetta.’ only minutes after asking me ‘Do I armed escorts to take his
Wed, August 11, Wed Sept 1, know you?’. He went away and girlfriend Joanne to dinner
Police released more information Spoke to KO made him aware I was returned, he said: “I know who you as it was too dangerous;
– three suspects and new identifica- very unhappy with statements and are, you’re Marty McGartland.’’ *police leaked false sto-
tions. Chief Supt Symonds would remarks made at press conference. Thurs Oct 14, ries to the media that the
not confirm there was terrorist Also unhappy he was not going to KO called me this morning and I shooting was ‘drugs-relat-
involvement due to the fact that release another audio tape of Irish asked him did he know who shot ed’ and then denied the FIGHT: McGartland is angry no one has been charged over case
two of the men had Irish accents. man on my voicemail. He had stated me. He said he did, I asked him who claims; drug dealers Brendan in February 2004.
Sat, Aug 14, when he visited me over previous was it? “I am not telling you. You *police refused tell him ‘Speedy’ Fegan and Paul Added McGartland:
I have been staying in one small weeks that PIRA were behind my will tell the press,’’ he said. I said who had carried the shoot- ‘Bull’ Downey; “Northumbria Police lied
room 14 hours a day with only a TV, shooting. ‘The gun couldn’t be identi- would not do anything to jeopardise ing even though the RUC Speaking yesterday from to me. They lied to the
video and hi-fi to keep me occupied. fied but rounds were traced to an arrest. He said: “If I arrest the were saying it was a murder his hideaway address some- media and then they tried
Mon, Aug 16, Belfast’. KO confirmed on an off the person he will be getting 25 years. bid sanctioned by the IRA; where in the UK, McGart- to blacken my name by say-
Spoke to DCI KO. He informed record ( to a journalist) that (a) he Tues Nov 2, *police told him convict- land told the Sunday ing it was a drugs-related
me that Crimewatch UK was not believed former members of the IRA DS Musgrave called and told me ed IRA bomber Harry World: “It is very frustrat- shooting because they
going to show my case. Today’s jour- with a vendetta were behind shooting; that two men had been arrested: Fitzsimmons and Gary ing that eight years later thought I was going to die.
nal ran story stating IRA team had (b) had forensic on gun but ‘I am keep- one in Belfast, one in Scotland. Told ‘Scott’ Monaghan had been these people are still walk- “When they discovered I
been sent back over to kill me. Dai- ing that close to my chest’; (c) “that those arrested are Harry Fitzsim- under surveillance for ing the streets free men. was going to make it, they
ly Telegraph report that RUC Spe- the Belfast man on my answerphone mons and Gary ‘Scott’ Monaghan three weeks prior to the changed their tune.
cial Branch confirmed IRA was had been traced to back to a newspa- from Glasgow. shooting; Charge “I later sued Northum-
behind the shooting. It also stated per in Belfast (not Republican News). Wed Nov 3, *police told him they “DCI Keith Oliver, who was bria Police over these alle-
the IRA leadership gave go ahead. (d) “most of my enquiries had always KO told me that they would be were going to charged only in charge of my case, told me gations and they paid me
Fri Aug 27, been concentrated in Northern Ire- held until at least Friday and “very to be released two hours that he wanted to put these substantial damages.
Keith Oliver called and informed land” because of my background. confident of a successful outcome”. later; two away for 25 years. “Yet all the time, they
me ‘Northumbria Police now believe Mon Oct 4, Thur Nov 4, *police told him they “But someone in the gov- had their own intelligence
the attack was a result of activities Police come and asked me ques- Called by KO. Asked when will were released because wit- ernment has stopped these and intelligence from the
involving my past life’. I asked if tions on tape: (1) how and when they be released. He said: “They nesses got spooked over a men for going to jail for RUC that the Provisional
Northumbria Police would identify did my family get to Newcastle will not be getting released. Called newspaper story; trying to kill me. IRA were involved.
the IRA as being responsible, he when visiting; (2) information at 7.30pm and told that the two *BBC Crimewatch UK “It seems the peace “Northumbria Police are
said no. I asked why and he said about me giving evidence about men were being released on bail. refused to run an appeal process comes first and life like the keystone cops.
there is no proof or evidence to back Brian Gillen (IRA commander) and Fri Nov 5, story to catch the gunmen comes second..’’ They have treated my case
this up. I asked him would they be Paul Hamilton, another IRA man KO called and told me one reason as it involved terrorism; Harry Fitzsimmons, a for- like it was a incident of
admitting terrorist involvement, he who kidnapped me in August 1991. why were freed was because of sto- *police failed to tell him mer friend of McGart- shoplifting.
said: ‘I don’t know’. I asked him in (3)wanted details of how I regis- ry in yesterday morning’s Journal. that they had found the two land’s, is currently on the “They have no regard for
his personal opinion who did he tered and how I paid for website He said there were 21 eye witnesses guns used in the shooting; run from the PSNI. my case. They have even
think was responsible, he said: ‘One service; (4) asked me about Michael who were coming down to go on the *ammunition used in the He jumped bail while pulled the appeal for infor-
of the people you have identified in Dixon (sic); (5) asked me when I ID parade. Six phoned to say they shooting was later identi- awaiting sentence for kid- mation about my shooting
your book (50 Dead Men Walking). visited Ireland. Told them in 1993 weren’t coming at all and the rest fied as the same ammo napping dissident republi- from their website,’’ he
Tues Aug 31, and 1997 after my name was were “physically shaken”. used in the IRA murders of can hardman Bobby Tohill added.