posted on Dec, 17 2005 @ 02:05 PM
I'd look to the 'handlers' in the old RUC 'Special Branch'.
It is beyond question that for many in the old Northern Ireland 'security forces' and RUC (and the establishment there generally.......not
forgetting those in the rest of the UK) found the idea of republicans involved in governing NI a huge and intollerable anathma.
To find out that the guy heading what was supposedly an IRA 'spy ring' was himself a British spy places enormous doubt on the original spy story,
IMO.
I have no doubt that the republicans would have lifted whatever papers they could find lying around (as happens in any shared competitive
environment).
In NI that can be construed as spying (or as they say 'information likely to be if use to terrorists - a pretty open ended definition) whereas
anywhere else it might often just be seen as a relatively innocent bit of office politics and pinching some inside info.
That would explain the reports of thousands of documents apparantly found; but, it's worth remembering that it doesn't actually say anything about
what those papers actually contained or said.
It should also be remembered that this story breaking was also handy in the coming months for getting many many members of the various security forces
rehoused at top dollar and at enormous public expense.
It is true that the republicans have been responsible for many outrages in the past, they are no innocents, but it is also true that in that 'dirty
war' the British side has regularly acted in a grossly underhand manner too.
Frankly when it all comes out little of any of the various possibilities would surprise me.
The surprise is really that people are still claiming to be surprised by any of this.