Operation Flavius

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Operation Flavius was the name given to an operation by a Special Air Service team in Gibraltar on 6 March 1988 tasked with preventing a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb plot. The IRA active service unit's members, Danny McCann, Seán Savage and Mairéad Farrell, conspired to detonate a car bomb where the band assembled for the weekly changing of the guard at the governor’s residence.

Contents 1 Bomb plot 2 Milltown Massacre 3 Death on the Rock 4 IRA response 5 The inquest 6 European Court of Human Rights 7 References 8 See also 9 Bibliography & further reading

[edit] Bomb plot

Their plan was to hide the bomb in a car so as to kill the British Army military band that was assembling for the parade.^[1] In order to ensure a parking space in a busy town area, it was necessary to reserve it on the preceding Sunday.

The SAS team was incorrectly informed that the IRA had already placed their bomb and were ready to detonate it.^[2] The three were stopped as they walked near the Shell filling station in Winston Churchill Avenue, the busy main road leading to the Airport and the Spanish frontier. McCann was then shot as the SAS claimed he made an 'aggressive move' towards a bag he was carrying. They stated he was intending to trigger a car bomb using a remote control device. After McCann was killed, it was claimed that Farrell made a move towards her handbag and was shot on similar grounds. SAS members again claimed that Savage moved his hand to his pocket and the SAS killed him also.

McCann was shot five times, Farrell eight times, and Savage between 16 and 18 times. All three were subsequently found to be unarmed, and without any kind of remote trigger. Materials for a bomb, including 64 kg of Semtex, were later found in a car in Spain, identified by keys found in Farrell's handbag.^[3] The SAS according to Raymond Murray, author of The SAS in Ireland (1990), has described the SAS as an assassination squad, like the South American death squads, who, acting outside the law, have killed persons when they have had the opportunity of arresting them. He also says they are well known "for shooting wounded and incapacitated persons lying helpless on the ground." ^[4]

[edit] Milltown Massacre

Main article: Milltown Massacre

Ten days later, at the funeral of the three killed in the operation, a loyalist gunman (Michael Stone) burst into the cemetery and shot dead three people and injured dozens with grenades.

[edit] Death on the Rock

Main article: Death on the Rock

The following month ITV broadcast a Thames Television documentary "Death on the Rock" reflecting concerns about the shootings, which led to criticism of the British government.^[5] British tabloids attacked the character and credibility of some of the witnesses in an attempt to discredit their statements, which eventually led to a successful libel actions by Mrs. Carmen Proetta against several newspapers, including The Sun and The Sunday Times.^[6][7]

Reviewing this documentary The New York Times (13 June 1989) stated: "Events leading up to the Gibraltar killings are depicted in a reconstruction made for a British television documentary. Questions abound. Was the IRA trio, carefully followed for days, in fact lured into Gibraltar? Why did the police fail to photograph the bodies or gather forensic evidence? Why was the press - Britain's tabloids were jubilant - told lies about a huge car bomb being defused and about the three suspects having died in a gunfight? This documentary's understated observation: 'There was a strong air of Government cover-up and disinformation.'"^[8]

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher denounced the documentary as "trial by television".

[edit] IRA response

On 18 September 1990 the IRA attempted to kill Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry at his Staffordshire home in revenge for his part in Operation Flavius. Terry had been Governor of Gibraltar during the Operation^[9] and had authorised the SAS to pursue IRA members. The attack took place at 9 pm at the Main Road house. The gunman opened fire through a window hitting him at least nine times and injuring his wife, Lady Betty Terry, near the eye. The couple's daughter, Liz, was found suffering from shock. Terry's face had to be rebuilt as the shots shattered his face and two high-velocity bullets lodged a fraction of an inch from his brain.^[10] Margaret Thatcher later said that she "was utterly appalled and deeply grieved" by the shooting.^[11]

[edit] The inquest

An inquest was held in Gibraltar. An Irish radio expert disputed whether a remote controlled explosive device was technically feasible, casting doubt on the justification given^[12] (this was further disputed at the European Court of Human Rights^[13] - see below).

Captain Edwards, a member of the Royal Corps of Signals with experience in VHF/HF radio in combat net radio spectrum carried out tests which showed it was possible to receive both voice communication and a single audio tone at the site of the shootings from the assembly area.^[14]

The car bomb found in Marbella was a conventional timer controlled device. An article after the inquest in the magazine Wireless World proved mathematically that it was theoretically possible for it to be radio controlled.

The jury at the inquest returned a verdict of lawful killing by a 9-2 majority.

[edit] European Court of Human Rights

In 1995, the European Court of Human Rights ruled by a majority verdict ten votes to nine that the killing of the three did not constitute a use of force which was "absolutely necessary" as prescribed by Article 2-2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.^[3]

It also ruled that the three had been engaged in an act of terrorism, and consequently dismissed unanimously the applicants’ claims for damages, for costs and expenses incurred in the Gibraltar Inquest and the remainder of the claims for just satisfaction.

In February 2008, the Irish media carried reports alleging An Garda Síochána (Irish police) passed on information about the three's movements to the British Security Services prior to their departure to Gibraltar.

[edit] References

1. ^ ECHR review (1995), Section I, paragraph 13.
2. ^ [1], paragraph 52.
3. ^ ^{a b} [2] Evidence from the inquest reviewed by the ECHR
4. ^ State Violence: Northern Ireland 1969-1997, Raymond Murray, Mercier Press, Dublin, 1998, ISBN 185635 235 8 , pg. 177-8
5. ^ [3] The Museum of Broadcast Communications page on Death on the Rock
6. ^ [4]: Half of total of £300,000 in damages to Carmen Proetta paid by the Sunday Times
7. ^ [5]: Notes substantial damages in relation to erroneous claims in The Sun
8. ^ [6] New Yorks Times review of Frontline documentary on Farell, which used extracts from Death on the Rock
9. ^ Michael Brufal. Governors of Gibraltar (1945 onwards). rockjottings.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-09.
10. ^ IRA gun attack on ex Governor. westmidlands.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-09.
11. ^ Remarks condemning IRA attack on Sir Peter Terry ("deeply grieved"). Margaret Thatcher Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
12. ^ [7], paragraph 112.
13. ^ [8], paragrah 131
14. ^ [9], paragraph 116.

[edit] See also

• Death on the Rock - A documentary about the shootings.
• Gibraltar (song) - Song about the events of Operation Flavius

[edit] Bibliography & further reading

• Fatal Encounter - The story of the Gibraltar killings by Nicholas Eckert ISBN 1 85371 837 8
• Death on the Rock - documentary about the shootings.
• Murder on the Rock - book about the shootings.
• Relatives for Justice Site
• Summary and full judgement by the ECHR
• The New York Times (June 13, 1989) article
• A Child of Its Time, The Economist (London), 4 February 1989.
• Windlesham, P., and R. Rampton. The Windlesham/Rampton Report on 'Death on the Rock' {London} Faber, 1989.