Joe Dougherty

He grew up with bitterness in my heart and with the knowledge that the victim. And Joe Doherty took revenge. He killed and maimed - and all of the "patriotic motives".

The murder of security service officer at one of the streets of Belfast in 1980, apparently had little to do with the bombing of the Libyan capital Tripoli in 1986. The first was committed militant so-called Irish Republican Army, Joe Doherty, who has clothed the violence in the cloak of the struggle for freedom. Others performed by experienced pilots on the orders of U.S. President Ronald Reagan as a warning to Colonel Gaddafi to force him to stop the widespread patronage of terrorism.

Connectivity is not traced to 1992, while fugitive militant is finally not taken in handcuffs from America and not read out his sentence - life imprisonment for the brutal murder of Captain Herbert Richard Westmacott. And it turned out that the killing and bombing of Tripoli interrelated. Find out by Mrs Thatcher, acting as any police officer or agent of the FBI counterintelligence. She held out her "long arm" across the Atlantic and Doherty returned home from America, where he sought political asylum. Doherty was a "pay" for Tripoli, because Margaret Thatcher allowed U.S. bombers take off from British military bases and complete its task. For this solution it was subjected to sharp criticism of the world community, but made it clear to the American side, that this kindness ever be paid. And it paid tridtsatisemiletnim Joe Patrick Doherty, a murderer, whom Mrs. Thatcher is not allowed to get away from deserved punishment.

History of Joe Doherty - a street thief, a rebel, the master of ambush, political assassins and advocacy on foot - is the story of international conspiracies and diplomatic intrigues. If in his youth, he chose a different path, away from weapons and tough guys, who controlled his district in West Belfast, perhaps now he would have been a respected family man with a quiet work and a wonderful future. Instead, Doherty will be released almost a pensioner. The only consolation will be embellished memories in pubs or at meetings in the halls, where the republican spirit is revered as a religion.

Before you become shamefully famous, Joe Doherty was introduced in the organization, which pursued the Catholic minority in Northern Ireland. Limitation of voting rights, . discrimination against Catholics in schools, . at home and at work, . violation of civil liberties and police terror added fuel to the fire of revival of the republican movement, . has been lying dormant or nearly dead by the time of the birth Doherty in 1955,
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He was born in the family, which praised the Irish heroes who rose in revolt against England at the beginning of the century and won their independence in the southern part of the country. Doherty recalled that in five years, felt the first manifestation of injustice. "I remember when I went to school and began to learn English instead of our national language. In history, we held that we impose. Mainly it was the history of the Tudors and other royal houses of England. About our country, we did not say. When we studied the geography, they showed us the map of England, Scotland and Wales, Europe, the United States, but neither have we seen the map of their own country. It's insulting. I knew more about Birmingham and Manchester than the city and its beautiful grounds, which lie around it ".

Passion weapon soon led Doherty into the clutches of the IRA - illegal, but of fighting guerrilla. At fourteen he had already violated the law by participating in the burglary and theft. At the same time he joined the youth wing of the IRA. With hatred for the British troops on its soil, Doherty was a very sought-after recruit. In remote areas of Great Britain and on the west coast of Ireland, he was the promotional process and training that will strengthen his spirit and gave up arms, turning to militant activity. He became a professional informer for the IRA, because they demand on the streets of Belfast: warning of approaching the police or army patrols, luring soldiers into an ambush and took part in operations on the urgent transfer of terrorists in the "hot spots" of the country.

He also became a member of the team "knee", which managed to gain notoriety. These groups patrolled dance halls and drinking establishments, to put a speedy trial and punishment on those who are found guilty of drunkenness, drug addiction or being hostile to the IRA. Doherty subsequently stated that he presented himself as something more than a champion of "public morals" and defended the national interests "by all available means".

Terrorism Lessons

The army tried to root out and deter terrorism, which is overflowing. In the eyes of the soldiers at midnight Doherty pulled out of bed all his family and his own intelligence officer for a long time questioned the membership of the junior organization of the IRA. January 22, 1972, when he was seventeen, Daugherty without trial interned in a British camp. He said he had been tortured in the camp Girdvud. While observers of the Commission on Human Rights concluded, . that some terrorists have indeed been cruel and inhuman treatment in detention camps, . by Doherty had no grounds to assert, . that ill-treated,
. And of course, he had never been exposed to electric shocks, which, he says, has been used extensively in the camp.

Later he was transferred to a prison ship "Meydstoun", and in Long Kesh, where the IRA was preparing fighters, his behavior was characterized as an exemplary and noted that Doherty will soon be ready to take active service, that is to kill people. In the camps operated Agents IRA prisoners who are familiar with the republican movement. Prisoners are taught proficiency in weapons, which they will use after release.

After leaving the camp, Dougherty joined the IRA and swore allegiance to terrorism, placing his hand on the Bible, on the revolver and the Irish tricolor flag. So he became a volunteer company of the Sea ", part of the third battalion of the Irish Republican Army. In the early seventies of the activities of such units suffered primarily civilians: from indiscriminate bombings of the sectarian killings, from the countless executions of security officers and police. But Doherty was never charged with murder, though security officials had sufficient suspicion. Only once, in 1973, after three months of service in the IRA, the police arrested him for carrying a pistol, which he used to frighten the local youth.

After his release, on the eve of Christmas the same year, he was ordered to appear in the third battalion to carry out proactive. He was to remain "on the fly. Bosses of the IRA already had his eye on him.

In February 1974, Doherty was transporting the car and eighty pounds of explosives from temporary dumps organization in one of the units. Army kept him control of this deadly cargo, and took into custody. Doherty received three years in prison. Shortly after the unsuccessful attempt to escape by that time added another eighteen months. While in prison, the offender had been promoted in rank and became an officer in the IRA. Hosts on the outside waiting for a suitable opportunity and nurtured for Joe Doherty has big plans.

He was released on the eve of Christmas 1979 - the last Christmas that he met a free man, and not as a fugitive or a prisoner.

Armed and dangerous

Finding himself once again at liberty, Joe Doherty has been identified for special courses on the M60 machine gun, terrible weapons that could split a man in half. Later, he would deny, . that has undergone special training in dealing with these weapons, . however, . As reported by the heads of a special department in Ulster, one informant, . Daugherty knew so well all the details of machine gun, . I could disassemble and reassemble it with my eyes closed,
. This gun stolen from a warehouse in the U.S., still play a major role in the goal set before them the leaders of the Irish Republican Army.

His group were instructed to kill police and soldiers, using powerful weapons, obtained from American. Again, Doherty was not charged in the attacks.
The incident, because of which he was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for the murder occurred around mid-1980. Then the boss of the IRA ordered Doherty to attack the first British army patrol, which will appear near the house on the Entre-Road, selected his team for an ambush. Daugherty knew that military vehicles constantly running on the street with a base in Girdvude, and hoped to choose is a good goal. By this time, Doherty and his gang have already shed much blood in the operations of the IRA.

Doherty personally drew up plans for the operation and ordered to put a machine gun in one window, but from another fire from rifles and revolvers. He instructed a member of the group the night before the ambush, steal a car to come by and lift arms. He also ordered to take a family hostage in a house where they were going to slam the trap.

All this was part of the IRA's arsenal of techniques for killing. However, Doherty and his pals did not know that military intelligence had kept them in the field of view. Employees of the 14 th reconnaissance company through an informant learned of the ambush, scheduled for May 2, 1980. Unit of special services were given detailed instructions on capturing terrorists.
In the night preceding the ambush, the IRA volunteers drove a blue van and handed him over to a group Daugherty, who drove it into the yard at home? 371 for Entrimroud. The car was intended to bypass the group.

The next morning in the house were only nineteen Rosemary Comerford and her year-old son.

She recalled: "At 10.30 am knock at the door and I opened. Before me were two men and one of them said that they were from the Irish Republican Army. The speaker has sent me a revolver and added that they want to take home and keep me with her son hostage. Then he took us into the bedroom, located in the rear of the house. His taciturn friend stayed with us. I think in his pocket he had a weapon. I heard the man walked through the house. Around 12.30 pm rang the doorbell, my sister Teresa, and the man sitting with us, told me to see who came. He was ordered to let his sister and said that she, too, will remain in the bedroom. Then came my husband, Gerard, and all happen again ".

At two o'clock, when Doherty and "freedom fighters" have taken in the occupied house position with an excellent overview of Captain Herbert Westmacott, thirty-four years, and his group moved to a place of ambush. Veteran intelligence and his men have been trained to combat terrorists in urban areas. They were aces in his case, but this time made a mistake in determining the exact entrance to the house, which gave the militants who were inside, time saving. The militants opened fire first, and Captain Westmacott fell in a puddle of blood. The British government later accuse of the murder of Captain Doherty Westmacott. Laboratory analysis of clothing made later showed that of the whole gang, which consisted of four men, only Doherty were specific signs, which indicated that it was he fired a machine gun, from which he was killed by Captain Westmacott.

Caught in a trap like a rat, Doherty and his men had planned for some time to hold out, and then, before the men attacked security forces take their positions, throw grenades, the attackers. But as luck would have, like the British propaganda machine wanted to disappoint the IRA, who rely on brutality, they gave the killers a chance, inside the. At the request Doherty, after the men kept their secret services for several hours in an environment in house was invited by the priest to oversee their surrender.

British scientists who conducted the questioning, intended to break Doherty. They knew that he was an active IRA gunman, who may have killed before. But he was well primed by their instructors for a game of cat and mouse. For each question, to which he could not answer, the answer the question. Doherty was a staunch Republican, he lovingly recalled the medals his grandfather won in the beginning of the century in the war against England. His answers during the interrogation - it is something average between bravado and a deafening silence, between arrogance and filth.

Breakdown occurred only when mentioned the name of his mother. He said that he wanted to leave the movement, but he failed, he wanted only one thing - what would life in Ireland had become free, like other IRA militants, Daugherty considered England evil fate of his homeland, ve kami suffering under the yoke of "mistress of the seas". This belief is constantly strengthened fierce anti-British propaganda and bloody conflict between Catholics and Protestants - the representatives of major religious denominations in Northern Ireland.

Back in the arms of the IRA

When the questioning ended, Doherty again found himself in the cold prison walls to Krumlin Road, surrounded by familiar faces and old pals on IRA. Returned and bravado, and with it the confidence that he could easily commit murder. He again found himself in the disciplinary framework of the IRA, where high-ranking bosses decided to turn it into something between a martyr and Robin Hood.

In April 1987, when Doherty got to jail, case managers IRA went worse: a hunger strike in prison, "Mays" ended in the death of five volunteers, but no concessions from the Thatcher government was no. Ruling elite terrorist gangs in great need of a propaganda campaign, and they pinned their hopes on Doherty. He has refused to recognize the competent court hearings in his case. The murder of an employee of the elite unit has done its job: his name flashed on the newspaper strips.
July 10, 1981 Doherty won yet so necessary to their leaders triumph: a terrible fuss caused by his successful escape from prison along with seven militants. Using the weapon, secretly brought into the chamber IRA supporters, they were stronger protection and changed their form to easily pass the checkpoints on the way to a service out of prison. On the street there was a shootout between security forces and a group of the IRA, sent to pick up fugitives. Doherty arrived safely in their hearth and home. But neither the House nor the friends he could not live, because it is here that Britain would seek his services in the first place. He hid in the homes of supporters of the IRA, is not officially on the list of a terrorist organization. Several days later he crossed the border with the Republic of Ireland, in the most remote area. After spending several months in anticipation of, . he heard the news from Belfast, . that the judge Court of Cassation, Hutton found him guilty of murder and sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment, . informing the Minister of Internal Affairs, . that Doherty has served jail at least thirty years,
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This decision is a blow to his glory "of the great escaper" as it is now called the supporters of the Republicans. Masters in Belfast knew, . that search engines will turn everything upside down, . to find the killer, . therefore decided to give it a new name and to transfer to America, . where a mass Irish community, . which is annually sacrificed millions of dollars on the war, . was taken to ensure its safety,
. Doherty left Ireland under the name of Henry J. O'Reilly said in February 1982, ready to "bury" himself up as long as the bosses do not will call it at the service when the dust settles.

Margaret Thatcher had no intention of giving opportunity murderer of a British officer so easy to escape justice. In his book on Doherty "Killer in Klauntaune Martin Dillon wrote:" Doherty at the time did not know that he represents himself to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The murder of Westmacott and escape the killers led her into a rage. Doherty was the only person who is not punished, and eventually became such an important figure, that she had volunteered to give a short interview of him. Thatcher believed that his re-arrest will strengthen the relations between Britain and Ireland, and to repair the breaches in the security of Northern Ireland, punched "great fugitive". Neither the IRA nor Mr Doherty had no doubt of its determination to fulfill their intentions. But while they did not even know how she was personally interested in his capture.

NY. New Life

In New York, Doherty first got a job at a construction company and rented an apartment in an Irish family, sympathized with the Republicans of Ulster. Later he had to work and shining shoes and boots in the hotel. Forged documents, he even managed to get a bartender in a bar in Manhattan Clancy. Here, together with tipping, he earned up to $ 120 a day, and thought that it is doing well. He zaimel girlfriend, comfortable apartment in New Jersey and easily adapted to life without discipline IRA. I think that it all could.

Thatcher gave the leaders of the Royal Ulster police and army intelligence short order: to find the offender. Since 1983, contacts were established with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In New York sent a dossier with comprehensive physical data of wanted criminals and its full psychological portrait. Interview people, embedded in a network of IRA. And in the field of view an FBI agent got a young man working in a bar Clancy. June 18, 1983 he was arrested. Margaret Thatcher received a detailed and considered a matter of a few days to deliver Doherty in England and put criminals behind bars for thirty years.

But it will take many more years of grueling maneuvers and intrigue, before the Irish terrorist slam shut the door of the English prison cell.

Joe Doherty suddenly became a hero to most of the Irish-American population of New York. In the eyes of these people was not just a murderer, as he described Mrs Thatcher and the British establishment, as a freedom fighter, a hero fighting for the deliverance of Ulster from the English yoke. He suddenly began to reap the laurels, usually intended to celebrities of show business. Everyone wanted to shake his hand Doherty.

U.S. Senator Jesse Jackson was one of the hundred political activists demanding political asylum in America. New York Mayor David Dinkins even decide to call block the Manhattan Correctional Center, where Doherty was detained, "the corner of Joe Doherty". For Mrs Thatcher, and all the victims of IRA terror, this was equivalent to renaming a street in London in the street name "Boston Strangler".
First, Doherty was charged with illegal entry into the U.S.. But he did not commit crimes in America. Time and again courts of different courts issued rulings to release him on bail and hold a full hearing on immigration, but only in order to block civil lawsuit. It was quite clear: someone's hand, more powerful than an ordinary civilian court, periodically comes into play.

Ronald Reagan, happy friendly relations with the British prime minister, felt an aversion to terrorism. Thatcher hoped to get Doherty with the president, but each time it frustrated because of some procedural inconsistencies, not covered by the U.S. court system.

The bombing of Libyan quarters in 1986 has demonstrated the Reagan position on terrorism. Mrs Thatcher, the only Western leader, allowed U.S. bombers take off from British military bases to perform this task.

While American courts have nullified all efforts of England to get the offender, the emissaries of Mrs Thatcher diplomatically reminded America that she "owed" a courtesy - for Tripoli. And this was a courtesy to issue Doherty. About her reminded the British diplomat, Sherard Cowper Coles U.S. Attorney Obermayer, who represented the prosecution in the case of Doherty. Coles said Obermayer: "The Prime Minister believes that you owe us this guy. It allowed your government to use our territory for refueling bombers as they flew bombing of Tripoli ".

However, the courts continued to rule in favor of Doherty on the basis of the Constitution of the United States and the analysis of such cases in previous years.
They did not find enough compelling reasons to deport Doherty.
During Surety hearing in September 1990, after dozens of court rulings in his favor, the terrorist Doherty gave the classic "double explanation" murder Westmacott. He said: "This murder was to put pressure on the British government and force it to negotiate. And also to show the British government that his presence in the north of Ireland would be neither a political nor a military point of view. It should not suppress the IRA because the IRA will survive and retaliate "
. And it was said the man told the U.S. court that he left the organization in 1982!

. Epilogue

. Until 1992, no one political prisoner is not kept so long in prison on a single charge - for illegal entry into America
. At the White House, now occupied by the Bush administration continues to put under pressure from Downing Street, the keys of which were taken over by John Major.

In February 1992, Joe Doherty case was transferred to the U.S. Supreme Court. Doherty insisted on immigration hearing in a separate court, hoping to gain coveted political asylum. But nine years after the first arrest and imprisonment the criminal justice finally prevails. The Supreme Court rejected all further hearings.
February 19 for Doherty came to, in his own words, "to enforce the sentence in the underworld of British prisons".

From prison in Kentucky offender was sent to Northern Ireland, where IRA men serving time in prison in Belfast Krumlin Road, where he made his famous flight, met him a cake and tea.

Saga of Joe Doherty, complete victory of Margaret Thatcher and all those who fight against terror.

People who provide support Doherty, in particular, his American lawyer, Mary Pike, have continued to prove that the American judicial system has been unfair, backed by Britain, not the interests of the Stars and Stripes.

Nevertheless, one British diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "He wanted to deceive the American people, saying that allegedly saw the futility of violence and should be eradicated. He can not complain about the dirty machinations, because previously used their own.

Yes, America owes the British for Tripoli, and now that debt is fully paid. "