词条 | Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang |
释义 |
|name=Balcombe Street gang |war=the Troubles |image=|caption=|active=October 1974–December 1975 |ideology=Irish Republicanism, Armed Struggle |leaders=|headquarters=safe houses in London |area=Mainly London |strength=No more than 4 at any one time | partof = the Troubles | groups = | title = The Balcombe Street Gang | location = England, mainly London | target = British Soldiers, British Police, Politicians, Businesses, Restaurants, Clubs, Pubs, Hotels | date = October 1974 - December 1975 | type = Time bomb, Shooting, Throw Bomb | fatalities = 19 | injuries = - 350 | perp = Provisional IRA | weapons = gelignite, time bomb, throw bomb, Sten gun, M1 carbine, car bomb | numparts = 4–6 | numpart = none | dfens = 4 during siege of Balcombe Street | dfen = | footage = }}{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2013}}{{infobox war faction |name=Balcombe Street Gang 2 |war=the Troubles |caption= |active=1974–1975 |ideology=Irish Republicanism |leaders=IRA Army Council ASU's Commander Joe O'Connell |groups= |headquarters=Safe houses in London |area=Mainly London |strength= 8. At least 6 known male members and at least 2 unidentified female members, no more than 4 at anyone time were active |partof=Provisional Irish Republican Army | weapons = gelignite, time bomb, throw bomb, Sten gun, M1 carbine, car bomb |opponents=British Army, London Police, British Establishment targets, Economic targets. Attacks include...
The Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang was a Provisional IRA Active Service Unit (also known as the Balcombe Street Four or the Balcombe Street Unit) who carried out a bombing campaign in England in the mid 1970s. All of their attacks happened in London and surrounding areas like Surrey. Between October 1974 and December 1975 they carried out approximately 40 bomb and gun attacks in and around London, sometimes attacking the same targets twice. The unit would sometimes carry out two or more attacks in one day; on the 27 January 1975 they placed seven time bombs in London.[1] On 25 November 1974, they carried out three bomb attacks in the centre of London injuring 20 people.[2] They were eventually caught during the Balcombe Street Siege in December 1975 thus ending their 15-month bombing campaign in England. They have been described as "the most violent, ruthless and highly-trained unit ever sent to Britain by the Provisional IRA".[3][4] Active MembersThe six known members of the Balcombe Street Gang's Active Service Unit (ASU) were Hugh Doherty, Joseph O'Connell, Eddie Buttler and Harry Duggan (these four volunteers were captured at the Balcombe Street Siege). Liam Quinn (a US-born volunteer) and Brendan Dowd were also active volunteers within the unit, there were also at least two unidentified female members who accompanied Dowd and O'Connell during the Guildford pub bombings. O'Connell and fellow ASU member Dowd flew from Shannon Airport, County Clare, to Heathrow in early August 1974, under the pretense of looking for work in London. They rented a flat in Fulham, West London, for both living quarters and the storage of nitroglycerin and other bomb making equipment.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} O'Connell, as the bomb-maker of the group, was responsible for making the first devices the ASU detonated in their campaign, during the Guildford pub bombings on 5 October 1974. This was the beginning of a wide range of attacks O'Connell was involved in. They varied from the kidnapping of a bus inspector and the bombing of the Kings Arms, Woolwich, to throwing hand bombs in Sir Edward Heath's club and the assassination of an insurance broker.[5] BackgroundThe Balcombe Street Unit was possibly the most successful, ruthless and probably the most notorious IRA unit ever to carry out a bombing campaign in England. They had a focus on London (in particular London's "West End") where they targeted pubs, clubs and restaurants with bombings and shootings. They attacked several of their targets twice. Within the space of nineteen days the ASU days they had planted their first six explosive devices, two at Guildford on the 5 October, another two at Seymour Street & St. James's Square on the 11, another at St James's Square on the 22 and one at Harrow on the 24 October.[6] In the spring of 1973, the IRA extended its bombing campaign to mainland Britain, attacking military and symbolically important targets. The aim was to both increase pressure on the British government by swaying popular British opinion, with the goal of British withdrawal from Northern Ireland. It began on 8 March 1973 when an 11-person ASU, (which included now well known Irish Republicans like the Price Sisters and Gerry Kelly) bombed the Old Bailey courthouse. Despite warnings, one person died of a heart-attack and about 200 were injured, some seriously. The IRA always believed that one bomb in England was worth about 30 in Belfast and the huge media response seemed to prove this theory.[7] The ASU behind the Old Bailey bombing was caught trying to leave England by plane to Ireland. Although the IRA achieved its objective, it was a tactical error to try and leave so quickly, as British security forces would be extra vigilant at escape routes from England to Ireland.[8] The IRA General Headquarters realised this mistake. Instead, they decided that instead of sending over large 10-person ASU for just one day of spectacular bombing, they would use smaller sleeper cells of three or four volunteers to carry out several bombings over a number of months.[9] IRA attacks in England for the rest of 1973 soon started to become more professional and sophisticated. The following attack was on 18 August 1973 when two IRA firebombs exploded at Harrods Department store, causing some damage but no injuries or deaths. This was the start of their prolonged bombing campaign in England. Just four days later an IRA book bomb exploded at the Conservative Party Central Office in London, injuring several people but none seriously. A few weeks later IRA bombs went off at King's Cross & Euston stations causing 13 injuries and wide spread damage, and panic in central London. From then on IRA bombs became a regular occurrence in London and other major English cities.[10][11] By 1974, mainland Britain saw an average of one attack - successful or otherwise - every three days. These attacks included five explosions in Birmingham on 14 July which were possibly the first main attacks on the Midlands. It is believed Republican Brian Keenan was in charge of the IRA bombing campaign in England from 1974–1976. After the Balcombe Street unit was arrested in 1975 Keenan visited a separate unit in Crouch Hill, London, to give it further instructions. In follow-up raids after the siege, police discovered crossword puzzles in his handwriting and his fingerprints on a list of bomb parts. A warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) at Banbridge in March 1979 on charges relating to the London campaign in the mid-1970s.[12][13] 1974AugustSometime in August 1974 the first members of the Balcombe Street Unit moved into its first safe house, a London home in Fulham, in Waldemar Avenue SW6. Dowd and O'Connell start drawing up plans with a list of targets for the campaign to start in Autumn.[14] October
November
Daithi O Conaill in Dublin says that the IRA had not authorised the pillar box bombing: "To bomb civilians just because they are civilians, I would class as murder." This is a warning to the London ASU to stop. They ignore it.
December
1975January
This was the end of "phase one" of the campaign.[30] February
July
August
September
October
November
created the Guinness Book of Records, offers a £50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the terrorists. He outlines his suggestions, including: all Irish people in England to be compelled to register with the local police and to hand in signed photographs of themselves at hotels and hostels and when renting flats.
December
TrialThe Balcombe Street four came to trial at the Old Bailey on 24 January 1977. On 9 February 1977, the jury acquitted the defendants on twenty-six of the hundred indictments. On the remaining charges, the Balcombe Street Four were found guilty and each received a thirty-year minimum sentence. All were released on 14 April 1999 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.[55] Type of attacksMost of the attacks carried out by the unit were bombings, but they were also involved in several shooting incidents. The gang used several different methods to deliver and explode their bombs. The unit's favoured method was using hand-thrown bombs. The unit made and used a series of these grenade-like devices. These were small devices with around {{convert|2|-|5|lb}} of gelignite in them with a short fuse attached. The fuse would be lit and then thrown at its target by one volunteer while another volunteer would keep lookout. This method was used in the Woolwich pub bombing of November 1974 and the Waltons bombing of November 1975. Another common method was making either a time bomb or an incendiary device with a timer on it which would then be planted inside a pub, club, hotel etc. This method was used in the Guildford pub bombings of October 1974 and the Hilton bombing of September 1975. They also detonated a car bomb at Selfridge's department store on Oxford Street in December 1974. Booby-trap bomb were occasionally used, as were letter bombs in post boxes. During these attacks they would also placed a hidden second bomb with a timer nearby to try and kill or injure security services reacting to the initial bombing. On several occasions they fired shots from rifles and machine guns (usually Sten guns and M1 carbines) into hotels and restaurants, as in the attacks on the Carlton Tower Hotel and the Portman Hotel in January 1975. The gang also shot dead several people, the most famous of whom was Guinness Book of Records founder Ross McWhirter in November 1975. Nineteen people were killed from the ASU's campaign: 16 from bombings and three from gun attacks. Six of the dead were British military personnel, one was a London police officer, one was a member of the bomb squad and 11 were civilians. See also
References1. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch75.htm#27175|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1975|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} {{PIRA}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang}}2. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#251174|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 3. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/balcombe-street-gang-were-sentenced-to-more-than-600-years-in-jail-between-them-1.172147|title=Balcombe Street gang were sentenced to more than 600 years in jail between them|publisher=}} 4. ^{{cite web|url=http://flashbak.com/our-nelson-mandelas-the-iras-balcombe-street-gang-8791/|title='Our Nelson Mandelas' - The IRA's Balcombe Street Gang - Flashbak|date=10 December 2013|publisher=}} 5. ^'Time Bomb: Irish Bombers and English Justice' (Bungay 1988) McKee G. & Franey R. p.87. 6. ^https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#Oct 7. ^Peter Taylor - Behind The Mask: The IRA & Sinn Fein p.179 - 183 8. ^Robert W. White - Out Of The Ashes: An Oral History Of The Provisional Irish Republican Movement p.108 9. ^Peter Taylor - Behind The Mask: The IRA & Sinn Fein p.203 10. ^Robert W. White - Out Of The Ashes: An Oral History Of The Provisional Irish Republican Movement p.117,118 11. ^:https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2005-07-08-0507080193-story.html 12. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/en/publications/commentary/com40.asp|title=HTTP Error 404 - Not Found / Erreur HTTP 404 - Non trouvé|date=2 May 2014|publisher=|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/webarchives/20061210174742/http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/en/publications/commentary/com40.asp|archivedate=10 December 2006|df=dmy-all}} 13. ^Bowyer Bell, J. (1997). The Secret Army: The IRA. Transaction Publishers. pp. 472–473. {{ISBN|1-56000-901-2}}. 14. ^{{cite web|url=https://books.google.ie/books/about/The_Road_to_Balcombe_Street.html?id=rPQujwEACAAJ&redir_esc=y|title=The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London|first1=Steven P. Moysey|last1=Phd|first2=Steven P. Moysey|last2=Ph.d|date=12 January 2016|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|via=Google Books}} 15. ^1 2 3 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#Oct|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 16. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=5&month=10&year=1974|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 17. ^https://www.alamy.com/oct-10-1974-bomb-blast-services-clubs-in-londons-west-end-terror-bombers-image69477993.html 18. ^{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/22/newsid_2489000/2489263.stm|title=1974: Bomb blast in London club|date=22 October 1974|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} 19. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=7&month=11&year=1974|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 20. ^1 2 3 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#Nov|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 21. ^https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/25/magazine/when-british-justice-failed.html 22. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#111274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 23. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#141274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 24. ^https://newspaperarchive.com/lawton-constitution-dec-18-1974-p-39/ 25. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#171274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 26. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#191274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 27. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#201274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 28. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#211274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 29. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch74.htm#221274|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1974|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 30. ^1 2 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch75.htm#Jan|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1975|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 31. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JHkfMe8DHg 32. ^[https://www.jta.org/1975/01/21/archive/scotland-yard-probing-machinegun-attacks-on-two-jewish-owned-hotels-8-injured-in-attack Scotland Yard Probing Machinegun Attacks on Two Jewish-owned Hotels; 8 Injured in Attack] 33. ^{{cite web|url=http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.irish/2005-09/msg00355.html|title=The Year London Blew Up: [3] January to June 1975|website=newsgroups.derkeiler.com}} 34. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=26&month=02&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 35. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch75.htm#Feb|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1975|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 36. ^Paul Hill & Ronan Bennett - Stolen Years|Paul Hill: Before And After Guildford p.269 37. ^1 2 3 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch75.htm#Aug|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1975|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 38. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=5&month=09&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 39. ^1 2 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch75.htm#Sep|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1975|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 40. ^{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/5/newsid_2499000/2499203.stm|title=1975: London Hilton bombed|date=5 September 1975|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} 41. ^https://www.nytimes.com/1975/09/23/archives/bomb-injures-three-at-hotel-in-the-west-end-of-london.html NYTIMES: Bomb Injures Three At Hotel In The West End Of London 42. ^https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1993/mar/04/prevention-of-terrorism-legislation 43. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=9&month=10&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 44. ^{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/9/newsid_2531000/2531191.stm|title=1975: Man killed in Piccadilly bomb blast|date=9 October 1975|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} 45. ^1 2 {{cite web|url=http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.irish/2005-09/msg00426.html|title=The Year London Blew Up: [4] August to November 1975|website=newsgroups.derkeiler.com}} 46. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=23&month=10&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 47. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=12&month=11&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 48. ^1 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/truce/chron.htm|title=CAIN: Events: IRA Truce - 9 Feb 1975 to 23 Jan 1976 - A Chronology of Main Events|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 49. ^1 {{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch75.htm#Nov|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1975|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 50. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=18&month=11&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 51. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=27&month=11&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 52. ^{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/27/newsid_2528000/2528787.stm|title=1975: TV presenter Ross McWhirter shot dead|date=27 November 1975|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} 53. ^{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=6&month=12&year=1975|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}} 54. ^{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/12/newsid_2546000/2546477.stm|title=1975: Balcombe Street siege ends|date=12 December 1975|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} 55. ^http://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/apr/10/johnmullin 7 : 1974 in London|1975 in London|Explosions in London|Provisional Irish Republican Army|Provisional Irish Republican Army actions in London|Terrorist incidents in 1974|Terrorist incidents in 1975 |
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