CENTRAL NEWS 33 GOODGE STREETLONDON W1323 28
A SENIOR DETECTIVE DENIED AT THE OLD BAILEY YEST (TUES)
THAT SECURITY BEFORE AND DURING THE TORY PARTY CONFERENCE AT THE
GRAND HOTEL IN BRIGHTON WAS ‘NON EXISTEN’
BUT DETECTIVE CHIEF SUPERINTENDANT JOHN REECE, WHO LED THE
INVESTIGATION INTO THE BOMB BLAST THAT TORE THE HOTEL APART DID
ADMIT: ‘IN FUTURE SECURITY WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT FORM.
‘
HE ADDED: ‘ I HAVE NO WISH TO ABSOLVE MYSELF OR MY TEAM
OF ANY BLAME.
IF I’D SEEN ANYTHING THAT PURTURBED ME.
I WOULD HAVE
MADE MY DOUBTS KNOWN TO THE OFFICERS.
‘
HE REVEALED THAT THERE WERE 220 GUESTS AT THE HOTEL INCLUDING
THE PRIME MINSTER.
FIVE WERE KILLED IN THE EXPLOSION AND 30 SERIOUSLY
INJURED.
THE CROWN CLAIM THAT PATRICK MAGEE, 35, PLACED THE BOMB.
HE
DENIES MURDERING THE FIVE VICTIMS.
IN THE DOCK WITH HIM ARE GERALD
MCDONNEL, 34, PETER SHERRY, 30, MARTINA ANDERSON, 23, AND ELLA
O’DWYER, 26, WHO ALL DENY PLOTTING TO CAUSE AN EXPLOSION.
MORE
BOMB 2.
CROSS EXAMINED BY MR.
RICHARD FERGUSON DEFENDING MAGEE HE WAS
ASKED IF A STATEMENT HE GAVE TO AN INQUEST INTO THE BLAST STILL
APPLIED.
MR.
REECE SAID HE STILL HELD BY THE SATEMENT WHICH READ:’I AM
ABLE TO SAY THERE WAS NO FAILURE OF SECURITY.
BUT IN HINDSIGHT THERE
ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO CHIEF
POLICE OFFICERS.
‘
MR.
FERGUSON ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY CHECKS ON PEOPLE ENTERING
THE HOTEL.
MR REECE REPLIED: ‘IT WAS NOT THE CID’S RESPONSIBLILTY.
IT WAS DEALT WITH BY ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
‘ HE ADDED: ‘HAVING READ THE
DETAILS OF THE SECURITY I HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT IT.
‘
MR.
FERGUSON SAID: ‘PEOPLE HAD FREE UNCHECKED ACCESS DURING
THE CONFERENCE.
ANYONE COULD HAVE WALKED IN DURING THE DAYS AND HOURS
PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION.
REECE ANSWERED: ‘THAT WAS THE WISH OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
FROM TIME TO TIME ONE OR TWO PEOPLE WERE SEARCHED BUT IT WAS NOT THE
POLICY TO SEARCH EVERYONE.
‘
MORE
BOMB 3.
FERGUSON WENT ON: ‘ THERE WERE NOT ANY ORGANISED CHECKS.
NO
SEARCHING OF BAGGAGE.
I SUGGEST THERE WAS NO SECURITY AT THE GRAND
HOTEL.
‘
THE DETECTIVE SAID THAT THIRTEEN OFFICERS WERE EMPLOYED
OUTSIDE THE HOTEL AND FOUR INSIDE.
THERE WERE ALSO SIX MEN FROM CLOSE
PROTECTION UNIT OF THE MET POLICE AND CAMERAS WERE MONITORING THE
FIRST FLOOR WHERE MAGARET THATCHER AND SENIOR CABINET MINISTERS WERE
STAYING.
.
‘IN MY OPINION THAT IS A FORM OF SECURITY.
OTHERWISE WHY
WOULD THEY HAVE BEEN THERE?’
‘WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE HOTEL,’ QUERIED MR.
FERGUSON
‘IT WAS THE WISH OF THE CONSERVATIVES THAT THE PARTY FAITHFUL
BE ALLOWED TO COME AND GO AS THEY PLEASED.
‘ HE REPLIED.
ASKED IF HE HAD RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SECURITY MR.
REECE RESPONDED: ‘SOME STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE
CONCERNED.
BUT THEY WERE TALKING IN HINDSIGHT.
IF THE QUESTION HAD
BEEN POSED BEFORE THE EXPLOSION THEN I AM SURE EVERYONE WOULD HAVE
BEEN WELL SATISFIED.
‘
MR.
REECE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW IF SNIFFER DOGS HAD GONE
THROUGH THE HOTEL: ‘BUT IT IS MY IMPRESSION DOGS WERE USED ON THE
FIRST FLOOR.
‘
IRONICALLY MR.
REECE REVEALED THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BOMB
WENT OFF HE AND HIS OFFICERS HAD A MEETING IN WHICH THEY CONCLUDED
WHAT A ‘GOOD CONFERENCE IT HAD BEEN.
‘
MR.
REECE SAID :’IN HINDSIGHT THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
MY CHIEF CONSTABLE HAS REPORTED THESE TO OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS.
IN
FUTURE SECURITY WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT FORM.
‘ .
THE SUSSEX POLICE OFFICER SAID THAT A MASSIVE POLICE
OPERATION BEGAN AFER THE BLAST IN OCTOBER 84.
OVER 800 PEOPLE FROM 50
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WERE SEEN.
THE INQUIRY STRETCHED TO PLACES AS FAR
APART AS INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES.
HE SAID THAT A NUMBER OF ‘CRANKS’ AND ORGANISATIONS CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMB BUT SPECIAL BRANCH INQUERIES REVEALED
THAT THE PROVISIONAL IRA’S CLAIM TO HAVE PLANTED THE BOMB WAS
GENUINE.
TRIAL CONTINUES
ENDS
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