Brighton bomber justifies actions

Winty

IRA BOMBER Patrick Magee claims the 1984 Brighton explosion had no negative effect on the Irish community in Britain.
The former activist instead insists the terrorist attack which killed five and wounded 34 was done for the good of Irish people ‘both here and back home’. Speaking to The Irish Post in Westminster last week, he said: “I absolutely dispute that the [Brighton] bombing impacted badly on the Irish community.” Magee was attending an event which looked at forgiveness and reconciliation.

Why did he attend a Forgiveness and Reconcilation event if he does not regret planting the bomb

“I believe that — and remember that Brighton was a one-operation campaign — that campaign was necessary so that we could build politically from a position of strength.”

He added: “I don’t believe that we would have got where we are today, in the present political dispensation — with peace and a real opportunity for the future, if we hadn’t organised.”
The Belfast-born bomber was the only man convicted for the Brighton attack and was sentenced to multiple life sentences for his part in the atrocity. He was controversially released after serving just 14 years under the Good Friday Agreement in 1999.

Magee, who gained a Doctorate in Philosophy while interned in the Maze Prison, claims he never contemplated the negative effects the bomb would have on Britain’s Irish community.

“Our focus would have been absolutely on whom we were targeting,” he said.

“That was the perpetrators of oppression in Ireland, the people responsible for the terrorists on the streets, and we were hoping that the action would make things better for the Irish in Britain and at home.”

He does not regret planting the bomb which maimed and murdered innocent people during the Conservative Party Conference in the seaside resort’s Grand Hotel — the IRA’s attempt to assassinate the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. But he claims to have developed some remorse for the families of those he hurt.

Since his release he has stood on 60 stages with Jo Berry, daughter of Sir Anthony Berry MP who was murdered in the bombing, through their involvement with The Forgiveness Project.
The charity, which promotes forgiveness as a way of resolving conflict, brought the pair together to highlight that message.
Both spoke at the charity’s inaugural lecture by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, on the topic ‘Is Violence Ever Justified?’ at St. John’s chapel in Westminster on Wednesday, May 12. Jo told the audience that her interaction with Magee was helping her to heal, and explained: “I’m beginning to realise that no matter what side of the conflict you’re on, had we all lived each other’s lives, we could all have done what the other did.”

Regarding the pain he has caused, Magee said: “On the one hand I’m saying I regret things I have done, in particular to Jo’s family, but on the other hand I stand over my actions.

“The regret stems from the fact that it was necessary. That’s very challenging to many people, it’s a difficult message.

“I am not here looking for forgiveness — I would never seek forgiveness, I took conscious decisions and I stand over them.” When we asked Magee if he could go back 25 years would he do it again, he added: “All I could say is, putting myself back to the way I used to think then, I knew I was doing the right thing and would still stand over my actions.”

Why did he attend a Forgiveness and Reconcilation event if he does not regret planting the bomb?

Can a person be forgiven if they do not regret?

danman

Having lived in Birmingham at the time of the Birmingham bombings, I know at first hand the negitive impact it had on the Irish community.

I can't speak for the Brighton bomb, but in Birmingham, the impact was, understandably, negitive.

Winty

The former activist instead insists the terrorist attack which killed five and wounded 34 was done for the good of Irish people ‘both here and back home’.

I dont understand what he means by this? any Ideas

gandalf

Winty wrote: »

I dont understand what he means by this? any Ideas

Its the deluded fantasy world that these people seem to live in. They justify their actions are in our names when they clearly were not. I and most of my peers did not give them a mandate to murder and maim.

amacachi

Boring! I want to see them justify the Warrington Bombing, now that will be some funny stuff.

gandalf

amacachi wrote: »

Boring! I want to see them justify the Warrington Bombing, now that will be some funny stuff.

And you will get the usual crap about "collateral damage" or "these things happen in war". They have a warped sense of morality and justify these actions whatever way they want.

Winty

amacachi wrote: »

Boring! I want to see them justify the Warrington Bombing, now that will be some funny stuff.

I miss your point, 2 children died in Warrington

How is that going to be funny

Athlone_Bhoy

Nearly...

Winty

Athlone_Bhoy wrote: »

Nearly...

Another point missed

amacachi

Winty wrote: »

I miss your point, 2 children died in Warrington

How is that going to be funny

That was pretty much my point. At least there's a logic which can be used to justify the Brighton Bombing, whether you subscribe to it or not, but there's no excuse for Warrington.

Winty

amacachi wrote: »

That was pretty much my point. At least there's a logic which can be used to justify the Brighton Bombing, whether you subscribe to it or not, but there's no excuse for Warrington.

Thanks

Your correct the Brighton bomb was an attack on the Tory Party, Warrington was just killing people because they could.

FlutterinBantam

These scummers are just looking for some publicity.

They did nothing in my name, and I would treat them with the contempt they deserve.

Joey the lips

This thread has no potential for discussion as it has not opened with a discussion but more a question that cannot be answered.

Nobody here understands the brighton bombing because there is not many people were adult enough to understand the politics of 1984


However personally. I think he is right to say he does not regret it... It shows he believes in his ideals. However he is equally right to seek forgiveness as we are now in a political climate that encourages the dialogue that was not present in 84

FlutterinBantam

Joey the lips wrote: »

This thread has no potential for discussion as it has not opened with a discussion but more a question that cannot be answered.

Nobody here understands the brighton bombing because there is not many people were adult enough to understand the politics of 1984


However personally. I think he is right to say he does not regret it... It shows he believes in his ideals. However he is equally right to seek forgiveness as we are now in a political climate that encourages the dialogue that was not present in 84

What an amazing and preposterous statement.

GarlicBread

amacachi wrote: »

That was pretty much my point. At least there's a logic which can be used to justify the Brighton Bombing, whether you subscribe to it or not, but there's no excuse for Warrington.

I did a bit of research on the warrington bomb. Its horrendous what happen to those 2 kids.

The Ira released a statement saying that their warning was not acted upon properly.

Check this http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ira-insists-warrington-bomb-alerts-were-given-terrorists-fear-loss-of-support-1499306.html

The British security forces denied the Ira statement.

The Ira may be alot of things, but they are certainly not liars and when they release a statement they mean it.

My 2 cents; the british security forces let it go off for propaganda purposes. It worked too, a nasty self inflicted wound for the IRA.

It still dosent change the fact that the IRA murdered 2 kids, but theres always more pervasive things that dont meet the eye .

Winty

GarlicBread wrote: »

The Ira may be alot of things, but they are certainly not liars

From this I would say you are not from the North and you did not see the pressure Catholic business people were put under from the IRA to pay hard earned money.
The IRA deny they forced normal Catholics to pay protection money that IMO makes them liars or what about all the "missing" and forced disappearance

Winty

Joey the lips wrote: »

This thread has no potential for discussion as it has not opened with a discussion but more a question that cannot be answered.

Sorry Joey that the subject is not up to your standard

Shall we talk about Bird Seed

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055796916

GarlicBread

Winty wrote: »

From this I would say you are not from the North and you did not see the pressure Catholic business people were put under from the IRA to pay hard earned money.
The IRA deny they forced normal Catholics to pay protection money that IMO makes them liars or what about all the "missing" and forced disappearance

I was refering to their statements, they dont make them lightly.

Most of my family is from the north and i travel there regularly, i wasnt in anyway justifying anything.

Winty

The Ira may be alot of things, but they are certainly not liars

Britain’s longest serving IRA prisoner tried to cover up a blackmail plot, a court has been told.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/lsquocelebrityrsquo-ira-inmate-lied-through-his-teeth-court-is-told-14154710.html#ixzz0ob6GDcJz

MARTIN McGUINNESS, the Sinn Fein MP, is facing allegations that he ran IRA operations in the late 1980s despite stating under oath that he had left the terrorist organisation more than a decade earlier.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1364718.ece


Shall I find some more examples?

Joey the lips

Winty wrote: »

Sorry Joey that the subject is not up to your standard

Shall we talk about Bird Seed

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055796916

Poor profiling..... very poor... But if you would like to discuss bird seed fire away.

Joey the lips

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

What an amazing and preposterous statement.

a bit like the thread... dont you think...

danbohan

Winty wrote: »

Britain’s longest serving IRA prisoner tried to cover up a blackmail plot, a court has been told.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/lsquocelebrityrsquo-ira-inmate-lied-through-his-teeth-court-is-told-14154710.html#ixzz0ob6GDcJz

MARTIN McGUINNESS, the Sinn Fein MP, is facing allegations that he ran IRA operations in the late 1980s despite stating under oath that he had left the terrorist organisation more than a decade earlier.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1364718.ece


Shall I find some more examples?

wars over , whatever the actions necessary in war are sometimes regrettable in peace .time to move on . of course there are liars on all sides , even the british, i know that may shock you winty

dekbhoy

Remembering of course brave Volunteers like Paddy Magee are only a consequence of British rule.Unfortunately people in general are brainwashed into thinking guys like him are not nice people where nothing could be further from the truth.
Shame he never got Thatcher.

Joey the lips

danbohan wrote: »

wars over , whatever the actions necessary in war are sometimes regrettable in peace .time to move on . of course there are liars on all sides , even the british, i know that may shock you winty

Exactly thats whats lost in this thread. War is over conditions dont exist... Next come peace and reconcilation unless of course all the posters reconcilation is not on the cards, in which case it wount be long before we are back to war..


Childish nonsense..

jmcc

Winty wrote: »

Your correct the Brighton bomb was an attack on the Tory Party

It was an attack on the British government of the day. PIRA considered itself at war and it was, accordingly, an act of war. Of course to take this incident and Warrington out of their context is quite stupid. I think that you just don't understand what was going on at the time.

Regards...jmcc

murraymarmalade

Joey the lips wrote: »

This thread has no potential for discussion as it has not opened with a discussion but more a question that cannot be answered.

Nobody here understands the brighton bombing because there is not many people were adult enough to understand the politics of 1984

lol,speak for yourself lad,what utter nonsense

nuac

Joey the Lip - I was around in 1984 and aware of the politics of the situation.

Both the Brighton and Warrington murders had a huge negative effect on Irish people in the UK.

These events were not part of a "war", but criminal acts.

anymore

GarlicBread wrote: »

I did a bit of research on the warrington bomb. Its horrendous what happen to those 2 kids.

The Ira released a statement saying that their warning was not acted upon properly.

Check this http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ira-insists-warrington-bomb-alerts-were-given-terrorists-fear-loss-of-support-1499306.html

The British security forces denied the Ira statement.

The Ira may be alot of things, but they are certainly not liars and when they release a statement they mean it.

.:(.

charlemont

the english are a likable friendly and decent people, our closest neighbour and the day to day culture most most similar to ours, althought our history is very different but lets not forget who brought this trouble to ireland in the first place, the english man is all the above but he is also stubborn,, too stubborn to care about the discrimination in the north east so therefore the only way to make him listen is to shout, so therefore bombing is inevitable. ,,,,,,,, i strongly support the brighton bombing and the brave volunteer who carried it out, and you know what ,, so do all my english friends who understand the problems between our islands......

Winty

jmcc wrote: »

I think that you just don't understand what was going on at the time.

What sort of sh*t is that

I was born in Altnagelvin in 1979, what have you seen in Waterford? were you stopped at British Army checkpoints going to school?

Winty

charlemont wrote: »

i strongly support the brighton bombing and the brave volunteer who carried it out.

Please read the OP before you post, I dont care if you support the IRA

I asked if a man who does not want forgivness should be at a Peace and Reconcilation event?

He is just looking for fame from nuckle draggers IMO

jmcc

Winty wrote: »

I was born in Altnagelvin in 1979

That is the point. You would only have been five years old when Brighton happened in 1984. A lot of people posting on the thread may not even have been born at the time of the Brighton bombing. The Warrington bombing happened as there were, apparently, discussions between the leadership of PIRA and the British government. That event was thrown in rather callously by some poster earlier in the thread for what appears to be point scoring.

Regards...jmcc

Winty

jmcc wrote: »

You would only have been five years old when Brighton happened in 1984.

So to you the events of 1984 did not carry forward for the years since.

The entire population of N. Ireland had to live with the effects of the PIRA forcing their twisted agenda.

jmcc

Winty wrote: »

So to you the events of 1984 did not carry forward for the years since.

Read what I wrote again. It was one event amongst many. It was a major event but to take it out of context and just focus on it (and Warrington) to the exclusion of all others just creates the opportunity for a whingefest.

Regards...jmcc

Winty

jmcc wrote: »

Read what I wrote again.

Of course to take this incident and Warrington out of their context is quite stupid. I think that you just don't understand what was going on at the time.

So what bit do you want me to read again

You do not understand the OP
Its about the fact the bomber thinks that his action did not damage the lives of the Irish at home or in the UK

OhNoYouDidn't

Winty wrote: »

So what bit do you want me to read again

You do not understand the OP
Its about the fact the bomber thinks that his action did not damage the lives of the Irish at home or in the UK

This is inane point scoring on your part. He is at the event at the request of the victims. They don't appear to have a problem with him, and thats ultimately all that matters. Reconciliation does not automatically mean that you have to admit you were wrong in your actions

Winty

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

This is inane point scoring on your part. He is at the event at the request of the victims.

How can you say that he is a guest of the victims? please back up that claim

Thanks for you input OhNoYouDid't you are very quick to jump in with support for all republician matters

Athlone_Bhoy

Winty wrote: »

So to you the events of 1984 did not carry forward for the years since.

The entire population of N. Ireland had to live with the effects of the PIRA forcing their twisted agenda.

More like the best majority of people suffered abuse from loyalists backed up by the good old british state.

LordSutch

You may say that, but only if you view the era through the Irish Republican prism.