"INTERNET LAW BOOK
REVIEWS", Provided by Rob Jerrard LLB LLM
Books by Haworth Press reviewed in 2008
The Road to Balcombe Street
The IRA Reign of Terror in
London
Edition: HB
Author: Steven P Moysey
ISBN: 9780789029126
Publishers: The Haworth
Press
Price: $65 HB or $35 soft
cover
Publication Date: 2007
Publisher’s Title
Information
|
Learn the story of the infamous
1975 standoff between the London Police and the IRA The history of the IRA’s
involvement in terrorist attacks on London Background and build-up to
the 1974-1975 London IRA campaign The assassination of Ross
McWhirter The Met’s surveillance and
dragnet operations tracking the IRA A moment-by-moment account
leading up to the events of December 6, 1975 Day-by-day details of the
subsequent siege at Balcombe Street Negotiation and
hostage-crisis resolution techniques used by the Met Post-siege events Psychological observations
arising from the siege And
much, much more! The Road to Balcombe
Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London is a useful
resource for practicing law enforcement negotiating teams and professionals;
history, sociology, and social psychology students and educators; and general
readers as well. |
Review
This is in my view, a very
well researched and written book, which covers and explains much more than the
IRA murderous bombing and shooting campaign in London in 1974/5, which
culminated in what has become known as, 'The Balcombe Street Siege'.
Part 1
The book commences with an
excellent forward by Lord Peter Imbert, QPM who was at the time a
Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police, and who would take a major role in
the events which unfold in this book.
There are then two pages of
acknowledgments, and whilst reading this I became fully aware of the vast
amount of research undertaken by the author in order to obtain every scrap of
information possible about the events referred to in this book.
The book is, at its core,
about the hostage negotiation episode that happened in London during a period
of six days in December 1975.
The hostage-takers were four
members of the Provisional IRA who had been sent to Britain, under the cloak of
relative anonymity, to wreak havoc on the capital, which they did with some
success and notoriety for fourteen months.
The book examines the road
that brought together the two opposing sides, (the IRA unit and the police),
together in Balcombe Street. The author examines the political context of the
deliberate campaign of violence perpetrated by the provisional IRA, because, as
the author states “without the situational context, we cannot begin to
understand the men and their motivation in carrying out the unspeakable acts of
violence on the streets, shops, pubs and restaurants of London”.
Chapter 1 Deals with the
background to the Provisional IRA campaign.
In the past I have perceived
that many people, (particularly some Americans that I have met), do not know
the difference between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, nor indeed
the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom. The history of how
this all occurred, and how and why it was that Northern Ireland remained part
of the UK is all explained here.
Intertwined in this chapter
are the main events in what are now referred to as 'the troubles' in Northern
Ireland. All the events, and many of the 'players' whether they were political,
terrorist, sectarian or other are covered and well explained in a balanced way.
However, I do believe that the author is at one point rather too critical of
the Royal Ulster Constabulary and their actions at a civil rights march in
Londonderry in the 1960s.
I would like to recommend
this chapter, not only to historians, but also to anybody who would like to
discover what 'the troubles' were all about or who might find a brief and
accurate history of Northern Ireland of interest. The author explains what
happened and why, what the outcomes were, and how this was all linked with the
ideological thinking of some Republican sympathisers, and why the Provisional
IRA embarked on their murderous campaign.
Chapters 2 and 3 explain the
build up to what was, compared to previous IRA activities, a very well planned
and prepared campaign.
The author explains how the
leadership of the Provisional IRA planned this campaign, how and why the men to
carry it out were selected and trained, and what they hoped to achieve. During
this and the following chapter the author describes in detail all the terrible
atrocities carried out by this provisional IRA unit, (and indeed other IRA
units in other parts of the country during this period).
Having myself lived and
worked in London throughout this time, and been involved, if only on the
extreme periphery, of the investigation, I am surprised how my memory has
dimmed of those terrible events. It is not until one reads this book and again
re-visits those times, does one realise just how terrible the situation was.
The book takes the reader to
all the crime scenes in the order in which they occurred, explains how the IRA
unit operated, where their safe houses were, how they carried out their
attacks, what the aftermaths were, and the police actions.
There were thirty-two
different attacks by this particular unit in and around London over a period of
fourteen months.
These attacks included
explosive devices with timers, (some with anti-handling devices), explosive
devices with fuses which were thrown at the targets, (most of the devices
included ball bearings to inflict maximum injury), and shootings.
The targets were very varied
and included military clubs, a school, busy restaurants, shops in Oxford
Street, telephone exchanges, railway stations, prominent politicians, top
hotels, bus shelters, and a water pumping station.
As well as the vast amount
of damage, the bombs caused the death of scores of people, the maiming of
dozens more, and severe injuries to hundreds of totally innocent people, among
them foreign nationals.
Interspersed with this was
the chase of a suspect, which resulted in the shooting and death of the young
PC Stephen Tibble and the discovery of one of the units 'safe houses'.
The book takes the reader
through the events of the murder of TV personality Ros McWhirter, leading
cancer specialist Professor Gordon
Hamilton-Farley, and Bomb Disposal Officer Capt. Roger Goad all as a result of
the activities of this IRA unit.
The author also explains how
one bomb meant for a leading politician narrowly missed killing Caroline
Kennedy the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, who was staying in
the politician's house as a guest of the family at the time.
Whilst all this is
happening, the author also keeps the reader informed about the political
activity that was taking place at this time, and also keeps the reader abreast
of the police investigations. One interesting fact mentioned is the defiance
that Londoner's showed, by continuing to live and go about their business as
normally as possible under the circumstances.
Chapter 4 explains and
describes how the police planned and set up an operation called “Operation
Combo”, which eventually, after a false start, was responsible for the eventual
capture of the terrorists.
The thinking and planning
behind the operation is explained, and the author describes in detail the
events of the evening of December 6th. 1975.
It is hard to keep in one's
mind when reading this chapter, that the events as they unfold are fact and not
fiction. The author takes the reader through all the events of that evening in
detail, from the spotting of the terrorists by the police, a chase of the
stolen car by taxi, a chase on foot during which the terrorist fired at the
unarmed police who were pursuing them,
a 'shoot out' between the terrorists and armed police, and how the IRA unit
finished up inside the flat at 22b, Balcombe Street, with the two elderly
occupants as hostages.
As I have stated earlier,
this book is well written. However,
this chapter is more than that. Every detail is described and explained with
comments and quotes from those involved, (on both sides), and this makes it
even more real for the reader. I found it impossible to put the book down until
I had finished this chapter.
The chapter, (and Part 1 of
the book), concludes with the police actions to contain the situation in and
around the flat at the start of what the press would label 'The Balcombe Street
Siege'.
Part II
Chapter takes the reader
through the many events of the siege between December 7th and 12th
1975.
Each day is individualised,
and the reader is informed not only about the police tactics, how and when
contact was made with the terrorists, but also regarding the security of the
scene, the handling of the press, and press conferences. The reader is also
told about the equipment deployed both overtly and covertly by the police, the
information thus gained, and how it was used.
The author, (Steven Moysey,
PhD), is an organizational psychologist, so it is not surprising that this
section of the book also concentrates on the psychological methods used by the
two police officers who were to negotiate with the terrorists during the next
six days.
Those two police officers
were Chief Superintendent Jim Nevill and Superintendent Peter Imbert, assisted
by Dr Peter Scott a psychiatrist from a local London hospital.
As explained by the author,
the prime object for the police was the safe release of the two hostages. The
secondary object was the capture of the terrorists - alive if possible. How
this was eventually achieved is explored and explained in great detail. Many
people may think that explaining the psychology used and its effects, would be
a rather dull part of this book, but the reverse is true. The author uses day-by-day
details and intersperses them with quotes from those engaged in the
negotiations to keep the reader totally immersed in the siege situation as it
unfolded, and eventually reaching a successful conclusion.
Chapter 6
Post Siege Events. This
chapter deals with the aftermath of the siege, the questioning of the
terrorists by the police and the subsequent discovery of two further safe
houses and their contents.
The chapter takes the reader
through the legal process and subsequent court case at the Old Bailey.
Chapter 7
Observations on the Balcombe
Street Siege, looks at detail into the siege, what the problems faced by the
police were, how some, but not all were overcome, and the techniques used by
both sides.
The author also discusses
the various stages of this siege, how all the pieces eventually fitted
together, and indeed any improvements that might have been possible. He also
describes how the SAS were brought to a location close to the scene, and how
they were ready to be deployed at a moments notice if required. The author breaks down, investigates,
discusses and explains the different stages of the siege as:- Contain, Control,
Collect, Communications, Concessions and Conclusion Stage.
Chapter 8, Postscript. This
final chapter ties up many loose ends. It also discusses the appeals by the
Guildford Four, (Paul Hill, Gerry Conlon, Patrick 'Paddy' Armstrong and Carole Richardson,) and some very interesting reasoning on the part of the author as to why
this IRA unit did not, (officially) admit to the Guildford and Woolwich
bombings.
The chapter also briefly
covers the ensuing careers of many of the police officers mentioned in the
book, and the after-effects the siege had on the hostages.
The chapter then continues
with a brief and very informative continued history of the political events in
Northern Ireland, and brings the reader right up to date - through the 'Good
Friday Agreement' and on to the first meeting at Stormont of the power-sharing
government in May 2007.
I have just a couple of small criticisms about this book. There are quite a few typographical errors with letters and whole words missing here and there. This is not what I would expect from a publication of this quality.
There are also two factual
inaccuracies; the author states that in 1975 the Police discussed with the
Director of Public Prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service various
aspects of the charges to be brought.
The Crown Prosecution Service did not start operating until 1986. In 1975 each Police Force had its own legal service,
in the case of the Metropolitan Police this was the Metropolitan Police
Solicitors Department.
The other inaccuracy is that
the author mentions the successful escape by the use of a helicopter of three
IRA prisoners from "the Mountjoy prison in Northern Ireland". Mountjoy prison
is not in Northern Ireland - it is in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It is situated at North Circular Road, Dublin 7.
The Road to Balcombe Street
is a carefully crafted, excellent book, which can be read and appreciated by
all, irrespective of the interests of the reader. It will most certainly be of
great use to law enforcement agencies, negotiators and other professionals in
this field.
I recommend this book not
only to anybody who has an interest in this field, but also to general readers
as well.
Andy Day. 2008.