The Special Branch was set up in 1883 to deal with Fenian bombings in London, and since its inception has kept watch on all groups and individuals whether supporters of violent action or not - who challenge the power of the state. Since the job of the Special Branch is prevention rather than cure, it is increasingly entering the realm of The scope of activity of the secret agencies is thus extremely wide. It is determined at any particular time by the degree of political unrest. Specialist sections of the Branch deal with such questions as Ireland and the Middle East; these can be strengthened or diminished as the need arises. The Branch and M15 FOR CHEAP, reliable IBM typesettir Bengail, c/o Internationalen LIrIS UFFERED in minibus to Morocco, leaving 24 Jury. rossibility of return it. snare petrol costs, etc Write to Box RW6/5, 97 Caledonian Rd, London N.1 WOMEN'S RIGHTS day school: Sat 22 May, 10.30Spm at Nottingham Teachers Centre, Cranmer St. Speakers include: Jean Cousins (NCCL), Liby Elsom [NUPE), Sylvia Greenwood (TGWU), Judith Hunt AUEW-TASS Mal Read (ASTMS) LIna Walton Tobacco Workers Union). Creche provided. Informa tion, registration (75p, or 40p for unemployed) to: Tina Pamplin, 4 Melrose Avenue, Sherwood, Nottingham (tel. 6015981] GENERAL STRIKE: discussion of issues raised, Sat 3 May, 7.30pm, Tyneside Socialist Centre, 235 1oa0, tvewcostie UNE DAY Chile conterence organised ov Hull CSO and sponsored by AuEw Dist. Cttee and Hull Labour rally. sat o Mav 11am- bom at Carron House?? beverley Moad. Hull. Speakers include Brian Nichol on GWU. Pedro Cornelo (Chilean UCland presentatives of MIR and Chilean Cr AST LONDON Car Contra in NoT. One 790 245 of 19 Redmans Road, Ste * call in betwen Q11nm 13 May at N.E. London Poly, Secondly, the Branch does not shrink from using "black propaganda' and smear tactics to isolate militants.
The activities of M15 - set up in 1909 after a German spy scare -often overlap with those of the Branch. M15 is responsible for counterespionage, and also shares joint responsibunty witn te branen Tol international subversion. ational connection between espionage and internal subversion (including strikes, civil disobedience etc.) is justified by the theory that those who oppose the state are linked with an 'international conspiracy' controlled by Moscow, Cuba etc. (A rather neat way of discrediting political activists.)
M15 goes about its business even more secretly than the Special Branch. Bunyan describes how it has -WHATS ONto: Red Books, 97 Caledonian Road, London N.1.
Janeshill Road, Leicester (tel. 23123)
GREATER MANCHESTER Troops Out Movemen Ireland and the British labour movemer Street (Victoria). lay, 7.30pm, the Ducie Arms, Great Duci Committee, c/o 30 Romilly Road, London N4. CRITIQUE SEMINAR series: Frank Richards on th Communist Parties and th SOUTH-WEST region demonstration against cuts in social expenditure-Sat 15 May. 1.30pm, at Ellis Fields, centre of Taunton, Devon. Called by NUPE supported by ASTMS, T&G, NALGO, AUEW. DEFEND THE RIGHT To Work badges- 17p including Not: Bu rate on Anguiry Cale on 2o. Trom, J0-Ann, 97 Caledonian Road. Londo chayor socialst rorums-every Thursday in th ona Community Centre, 7.30pm.
The Royal Ulster Constabulary, the paraminary force establisned as a front-line defence for the sectarian Orange statelet in the North of Ireland, is to be equipped with SLR rifles to supplement its present armoury or ous rilles, Stirling sub-machineguns, and Walther pistols.
In une same announcement, the Police Authority confirmed that the RUC were also to be re-equipped with armoured cars. This announcement comes al une same uime as growing evidence JOHN MAGEE reports from Belfast that the sectarian Ulster Defence Regiment is to be increasingly used as a backup force for the RUC.
Nationalist districts have experienced stepped-up activity by the para-military police over the last few weeks in line with Merlyn Rees's declared commitment to involve the RUC more in the main role of dealing with the security SITUATIOn"
In the early stages of the Provisional truce the RUC made occasional sorties Red Weekly 6 May 1976 into Republican areas, but met with such lierce resistance that they had to desist. At that time, the Provisional and would not enjoy any 'immunity".
under the bridge. is dead in all but name return of Protestant rule.
in control, locals not strangers in uniform! Whatever divisions exist in the ranks of Loyalism, this is one policy on which al are united getting their way are not so unreal as IRA emphasised that the RUC were excluded from all provisions of the truce Since then a lot of water has flowed The Provisionals' truce at une same para-militares time the Constitutional Convention, established by the British Government in the apparent hope of a Loyalist-SDLP agreement, nas collapsed with the Lov alist UUUC's insistent demands for the stoppage Paisley's paper, the Protestant Telegraph, spells out in its current issue what this would mean: "Locals not strangers Despite the Provisional IRA's military campaign, the chances of the Loyalists some commentators apparently believe.
It is true that with the retirement of Sir "Jamie' Flanagan, currently RUC Chief Constable, all the top security leaders will be british. But there is no quar antee that the forces they command will meekly follow the Labour Government's During the Ulster Workers Council stoppage in May 1974, the British Army flatly refused to confront the Loyalist As for the RUC and UDR (almsot 100 per cent Loyalist in composion), even meryn Kees was not so naive as to imagine that he had any hopes of winning them to oppose the With the UDR in tow, the RUC obviously look with relish on the prospect of gaining vengeance on those areas from which they were so unceremon-us lously curren out in yo - even if they have to use armoured cars bristung wah macnine guns to get it While SLRs are being distributed to the ranks of the RUC, the anti-Unionist masses remain disorganised. Denied any real role in the struggle, passive spectators to the secret' talks between the Provisionals and the British Government, they have been left powerless in the face
US Ireland 9
of the betrayal by the SDLP and the Southern Government of the gains of seven years struggle. As a result they are confused and demoralised, and prey to the campaign of vilification being carried out by British imperialism agains une resistance If the anti-Unionist working class do not raise well guard against the cynica attempts of the British Government to depict Republican militants as 'gangsters". then the door will be wide open for the RU's return to the ghettoes - a door presently kept ajar only by the 15,000 British troops in the Six Coun ties. And with the RUC back in the ghettoes, the Loyalist para-militaries would be hot on their heels.
The danger signals have already gone up. What remains in question is whether the militants of the Republican move. ment will recognise and in so doing begin to lay the basis for ending the retreat of the anti-imperialist movement To accomplish this task, the resistance movement as a whole must understand that military rhetorie is no substitute for the involvement of the masses in what is, after all, the struggle for their own liberation.
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