OIRA--counterfeiting US dollars ?

[martin TYRONE]

Leader of 'Official IRA' in forgery plot

An Irish republican leader is responsible for flooding the UK money markets with near-perfect counterfeit money, it has been claimed.
The BBC's Panorama programme has traced the supply of millions of fake US dollars to Sean Garland, a leader of the former paramilitary group, the Official IRA.

Panorama also reveals that the profit from passing the currency is used to fund the republican group - which split with the better known Provisional IRA in 1970.

The fake currency - known to intelligence agents as "superdollars" because it is so realistic - is believed to be printed in North Korea.

It finds its way into the UK via the Russian mafia, with Sean Garland - who has contacts in Russia and North Korea - acting as the alleged ringleader of the UK distribution.

The operation in the UK was smashed after a police investigation which resulted in several people being sent to prison. However, police believe the ringleader got away.

Major player

He was never arrested or questioned in connection with the plot, although his name was mentioned in court and he is known to US intelligence agencies as someone involved in the passing of superdollars.

The money had been passing unnoticed in banks throughout the UK, until a massive undercover police operation in 2000 called Operation Mali.

I first heard the name Sean Garland when it was referred to me in a classified intelligence report as certainly someone who had been involved

Bill Gertz, Washington Post

The police investigation showed a detailed picture of an international counterfeiting cartel run by a tightly-knit group of criminals.

They discovered the group was getting superdollars in Moscow, before the counterfeit cash was smuggled to Dublin.

From the Republic of Ireland, it was then taken to Birmingham and distributed in the criminal underworld.

Panorama has also learned that for several years, authorities in Washington have believed Sean Garland to be a major player in the international superdollar distribution network.

Regular contact

Bill Gertz, the national security correspondent for the Washington Times, is aware of his activities.

He told the programme: "I first heard the name Sean Garland when it was referred to me in a classified intelligence report as certainly someone who had been involved [in a counterfeiting plot].

"A top secret document says Sean Garland is suspected of being involved with counterfeiting US currency."

Panorama can also reveal that two of the men jailed in the multi-million pound counterfeiting case had regular contact with Mr Garland in Moscow.

Police evidence from the trial reveals that on 25 June 1999, Terence Silcock - who has been jailed for six years for his part in the operation - flew into Moscow to close a counterfeit deal.

Panorama obtained flight manifests, which detail passenger lists into the city on that day. They show that on the same day Silcock arrived in Moscow, Sean Garland did as well.


Vladimir Uskov followed Sean Garland in Moscow
Mr Garland was being followed by an elite team of Russian police.

General Vladimir Uskov and his men tracked him as he visited the North Korean Embassy in Moscow.

He said: "Our information was that people working there may have been involved in the transportation of counterfeit dollars."

The programme also claims that despite their best attempts to not be seen together, Panorama has obtained copies of phone bills which prove that the Birmingham criminals called Sean Garland while in Moscow.

The claim is also backed up further with signed statements from several members of the Official IRA who confirm that Garland was involved in the spreading of counterfeit money in the UK and Ireland.

Panorama: The superdollar plot will be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday at 2215 BST


Does Labour have any comment to make ??

[ChrIreland]

Leader of 'Official IRA' in forgery plot

An Irish republican leader is responsible for flooding the UK money markets with near-perfect counterfeit money, it has been claimed.
The BBC's Panorama programme has traced the supply of millions of fake US dollars to Sean Garland, a leader of the former paramilitary group, the Official IRA.

Panorama also reveals that the profit from passing the currency is used to fund the republican group - which split with the better known Provisional IRA in 1970.

The fake currency - known to intelligence agents as "superdollars" because it is so realistic - is believed to be printed in North Korea.

It finds its way into the UK via the Russian mafia, with Sean Garland - who has contacts in Russia and North Korea - acting as the alleged ringleader of the UK distribution.

The operation in the UK was smashed after a police investigation which resulted in several people being sent to prison. However, police believe the ringleader got away.

Major player

He was never arrested or questioned in connection with the plot, although his name was mentioned in court and he is known to US intelligence agencies as someone involved in the passing of superdollars.

The money had been passing unnoticed in banks throughout the UK, until a massive undercover police operation in 2000 called Operation Mali.

I first heard the name Sean Garland when it was referred to me in a classified intelligence report as certainly someone who had been involved

Bill Gertz, Washington Post

The police investigation showed a detailed picture of an international counterfeiting cartel run by a tightly-knit group of criminals.

They discovered the group was getting superdollars in Moscow, before the counterfeit cash was smuggled to Dublin.

From the Republic of Ireland, it was then taken to Birmingham and distributed in the criminal underworld.

Panorama has also learned that for several years, authorities in Washington have believed Sean Garland to be a major player in the international superdollar distribution network.

Regular contact

Bill Gertz, the national security correspondent for the Washington Times, is aware of his activities.

He told the programme: "I first heard the name Sean Garland when it was referred to me in a classified intelligence report as certainly someone who had been involved [in a counterfeiting plot].

"A top secret document says Sean Garland is suspected of being involved with counterfeiting US currency."

Panorama can also reveal that two of the men jailed in the multi-million pound counterfeiting case had regular contact with Mr Garland in Moscow.

Police evidence from the trial reveals that on 25 June 1999, Terence Silcock - who has been jailed for six years for his part in the operation - flew into Moscow to close a counterfeit deal.

Panorama obtained flight manifests, which detail passenger lists into the city on that day. They show that on the same day Silcock arrived in Moscow, Sean Garland did as well.


Vladimir Uskov followed Sean Garland in Moscow
Mr Garland was being followed by an elite team of Russian police.

General Vladimir Uskov and his men tracked him as he visited the North Korean Embassy in Moscow.

He said: "Our information was that people working there may have been involved in the transportation of counterfeit dollars."

The programme also claims that despite their best attempts to not be seen together, Panorama has obtained copies of phone bills which prove that the Birmingham criminals called Sean Garland while in Moscow.

The claim is also backed up further with signed statements from several members of the Official IRA who confirm that Garland was involved in the spreading of counterfeit money in the UK and Ireland.

Panorama: The superdollar plot will be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday at 2215 BST


Does Labour have any comment to make ??

Yeah, seeing as remnants of the WP are now big in Labour. If there is a proven connection then how will FG react.................coalescing with criminals? Interesting.

[green]

It wasn't clear from Martin's original post but the reason this is suddenly topical again (since the programme was broadcast at least eight months ago) is that Seán Garland was arrested at the Workers' Party's Ard-Fheis in Belfast earlier today and is currently remanded on bail while the US submits an extradition request.

Since DL was formed from the modernising wing of WP, many of whom were unaware of the OIRA's very existence at the time, and since the WP really, really hate the DL crowd (even more so than they do SF), I'd say most of them are pissing themselves laughing.

[martin TYRONE]

It wasn't clear from Martin's original post but the reason this is suddenly topical again (since the programme was broadcast at least eight months ago) is that Seán Garland was arrested at the Workers' Party's Ard-Fheis in Belfast earlier today and is currently remanded on bail while the US submits an extradition request.

Since DL was formed from the modernising wing of WP, many of whom were unaware of the OIRA's very existence at the time, and since the WP really, really hate the DL crowd (even more so than they do SF), I'd say most of them are pissing themselves laughing.

Theres still plenty ex-sticks in Labour--maybe even active ones.

[green]

I know. I gave their purported reasons for leaving the WP, and mentioned the fact that the WP hates them.

[Bogwarrior]

Maybe the Securocrats and Special Branch elements are trying to wreck the Stickies, so as to undermine their 35 year participation in the peace process. Funny how Provisional Sinn Feiners are using this stick to beat the Workers Party, but were telling us yesterday Slab Murphy is a simple farmer.

[Risteard]

Indeed, Bogwarrior.

Of course no-one doubts the claim that Slab is but a simple farmer, and that Big Gerry never associated with simple farmers.

[Gerrry]

Bog:

Funny how Provisional Sinn Feiners are using this stick to beat the Workers Party

Read the posts again. Notice how ChrIreland wrote

If there is a proven connection

unlike your acceptance of the ARA briefings to the media.

[edifice.]

And Pat Rabbitte knew absolutely nothing about it.

[green]

WP vows to fight attempt to extradite Party President to United States

The Central Executive Commitee of the Workers' Party of Ireland condemns in the strongest terms the provocative and politically motivated arrest of Party President, Sean Garland, on the opening night of the party's annual delegate conference (Ard Fheis) in Belfast last night (Friday).

Seán Garland is a long-standing and respected member of the Workers’ Party who has consistently worked for peace and democracy in Northern Ireland and for the unity of the Irish working-class. He has opposed oppression throughout the world and, as a senior member of the Workers’ Party, he has been a vocal critic of the policies of the United States of America in its quest for global hegemony, most recently in opposition to the war on Iraq.

The request for the extradition of Seán Garland by the US government to a country which has a long record for the repression of socialists and progressives, both at home and abroad, and where no political opponent can expect a fair trial, is a blatant attempt to interfere in the affairs of a democratic political party and to intimidate those who oppose US imperial interests. The Workers’ Party makes clear that it will not be intimidated and that it shall oppose, by every means at its disposal, all attempts to extradite Seán Garland from his homeland to a US prison.

The Workers’ Party calls on all progressive forces in Ireland, Britain, and throughout the world - particularly those people who have worked closely with our Party in the past, to oppose this persecution of a political activist with a long history of selfless work for his Party and his class.

The Party has contacted the Departments of the Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and numerous T.Ds, Senators and members of the European Parliament. The Party calls upon Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to immediately demand the release of Sean Garland as a respected Irish citizen.