by Home home
The existence of these clandestine NATO
units remained a closely guarded secret
throughout the Cold War until 1990, when
the first branch of the international network
was discovered in Italy. It was code-named
Gladio, the Italian word for a short double-
edged sword [gladius]. While the press said
that the NATO stay-behind units were 'the
best-kept, and most damaging, political-
military secret since World War II', the
Italian government, amidst sharp public
criticism, promised to close down the secret
army. Italy insisted identical clandestine
units had also existed in all other countries
of Western Europe. This allegation proved
correct and subsequent research found that
in Belgium, the secret NATO unit was code-
named SDRA8, in Denmark Absalon, in
Germany TD BDJ, in Greece LOK, in
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Luxemburg Stay-Behind, in the Netherlands
I&O, in Norway ROC, in Portugal Aginter
Press, in Spain Red Quantum, in
Switzerland P26, in Turkey Özel Harp
Dairesi, In Sweden AGAG (Aktions Gruppen
Arla Gryning), in France 'Plan Bleu', and in
Austria OWSGV; however, the code name of
the stay-behind unit in Finland remains
unknown”
Consequently, in November 1990, the European Parliament
published its 'Resolution on the Gladio Affair.' This single
page document stated a number of known facts relating to
the near 40-year-long covert Operation Gladio.[48] The
European Parliament stated:
“.....in certain Member States military secret
services (or uncontrolled branches thereof)
were involved in serious cases of terrorism
and crime as evidenced by, various judicial
inquiries.”
“....these organizations operated and
continue to operate completely outside the
law since they are not subject to any
parliamentary control and frequently those
holding the highest government and
constitutional posts are kept in the dark as
to these matters.”
“....various 'Gladio' organizations have at
their disposal independent arsenals and
military resources which give them an
unknown strike potential, thereby
jeopardizing the democratic structures of the
countries in which they are operating or
have been operating.”
The resolution then recommended that European
governments should:
“ Protests vigorously at the assumption by
certain US military personnel at SHAPE
(Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
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Europe) and in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation) of the right to encourage the
establishment in Europe of a clandestine
intelligence and operation network.”
“ ......dismantle all clandestine military and
paramilitary networks.”
The NATO, CIA and MI6 response was muted. They partly
refused to talk about it on grounds of 'national security' or
'military secrecy,' but left the Italian and European
parliamentary findings unchallenged. This is about as far as
the 'official narrative' goes. The European Parliament
charged its member states to root out the Gladio networks
and directed NATO to shut the operation down. End of story.
However, the extent to which NATO, as an intergovernmental
military alliance of independent states, was ever fully in
control of Gladio is debatable.
Gladio's use of 'stay behind' units predated the formation of
NATO in 1949. Its practical operation was eventually
overseen by the CIA and MI6. Other national intelligence
agencies were involved, notably the Italian's Servizio
Informazioni Difesa (SID - reconfigured in 1977) but the
ability of national security services, beyond the CIA or MI6,
to authorise Gladio operations remains in question.
NATO's Clandestine Planning Committee (CPC), under the
auspices of S.H.A.P.E (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
Europe), was supposedly running things. However, by 1957
the operational control of Gladio had been brought under the
Allied Clandestine Committee (ACC) who were overseen by
the U.S. Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, reporting
directly to the Pentagon. In 1963 that command was taken
by General Lyman Lemnitzer. He remains unique as the only
U.S. general to have served as Army Chief of Staff, Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Supreme Allied Commander
for NATO.[49]
It was Lemnitzer who approved Operation Northwoods
proposal to use false flag attacks to provoke a U.S. military
confrontation with Cuba. Whether he was a key figure in
moving Gladio from a defensive to offensive operation, isn't
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A Dangerous Ideology
entirely clear. NATO have repeatedly denied freedom of
information requests on the subject. However, his belief in
the value of 'false flag' terrorism, and the timing of his
appointment, is notable.
The 'disconnect' between European states and the
operational management of Gladio was highlighted by the
French withdrawal from NATO in 1966[50]. This did not
coincide with the end of the French Gladio operations, called
'Plan Bleu.' This suggested the distinct possibility that not all
NATO governments were fully cognisant of what was going
on.
Gladio was a 'deep state' project. Elected governments were
not controlling it.
Another example of the lack of governmental oversight was
apparent with the Portuguese Gladio operation. The CIA
formed an ultra-nationalistic, right wing organisation called
the Aginter Press. It was run by former Vichy government
operative, and Nazi sympathiser, Jean-Robert de Guernadec,
under the assumed name of Yves Guérin-Sérac.
Outwardly portrayed as a press agency, it was actually a
front for the storage and shipment of arms and the training
of extremist mercenaries, many of whom received instruction
in covert military techniques in the School of the America's
in Panama.[51] There is no evidence that the Portuguese
intelligence agency (PIDE) knew anything about the hidden
agenda of Aginter Press.
Gladio was initially created in response to a genuine belief
that the Red Army would invade Western Europe. However
this fear was soon eclipsed by concern that domestic leftist
movements, supported by the Soviets, presented the greater
danger. Not because they threatened violence or disorder,
but rather for their potential to encourage political upheaval
that could overturn the rule of the financial and political
establishment.
Gladio operatives were deployed to kill the people of Europe,
distracting the survivors from any thoughts of political or
economic change. Convincing them to be thankful for the
'protection' of the state. This strategy, ca
lled 'the Strategy of
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Tension,' was described with chilling clarity by convicted
Gladio terrorist, Vincent Vinciguera. Speaking about the use
of false flag terrorism he said:
“You had to attack civilians, the people, women,
children, innocent people, unknown people far
removed from any political game. The reason
was quite simple. They were supposed to force
these people, the Italian public to turn to the
State to ask for greater security. This was
precisely the role of the right in Italy. It placed
itself at the service of the State which created a
strategy aptly called the 'Strategy of Tension' in
so far as they had to get ordinary people to
accept that at any moment over a period of 30
years, from 1960 to the mid eighties a State of
emergency could be declared. So, people would
willingly trade part of their freedom for the
security of being able to walk the streets, go on
trains or enter a bank. This is the political logic
behind all the bombings. They remain
unpunished because the state cannot condemn
itself.”
False flag attacks can broadly be split into two types. LIHOP
(let it happen on purpose) and MIHOP (make it happen on
purpose.) However, the manipulation required to carry out
these operations often comes through the use of infiltration.
During 'the troubles' in Northern Ireland, which saw decades
of deadly terrorist attacks in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the
British mainland and elsewhere, both Republican and
Loyalist paramilitary groups were extensively infiltrated by
British military intelligence and the security services.
Following the terrorist murder of Patrick Finucane in 1989,
it became clear that one of the men involved was a Royal
Ulster Constabulary (RUC) special branch agent called
William Stobie. Subsequent concerns about the extent to
which British agents were complicit in acts of terrorism led
to the Stevens Inquiry.
After a 14-year-long investigation, Sir John Stevens released
his final recommendations report in 2003.[52] Stevens
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stated:
I conclude there was collusion in both
murders and the circumstances surrounding
them. Collusion is evidenced in many ways.
This ranges from the wilful failure to keep
records, the absence of accountability, the
withholding of intelligence and evidence,
through to the extreme of agents being
involved in murder.
The failure to keep records or the existence
of contradictory accounts can often be
perceived as evidence of concealment or
malpractice. It limits the opportunity to rebut
serious allegations. The absence of
accountability allows the acts or omissions
of individuals to go undetected. The
withholding of information impedes the
prevention of crime and the arrest of
suspects. The unlawful involvement of
agents in murder implies that the security
forces sanction killings.
My inquiries have found all these elements
of collusion. The coordination, dissemination
and sharing of intelligence were poor.
Informants and agents were allowed to
operate without effective control and to
participate in terrorist crimes.
British agents were acting as terrorists. In another example
two British agents were found to have been involved in
'human bomb' attacks on three Army Border checkpoints in
1990. The plot involved taking people's families hostage
before forcing them to be unwilling suicide bombers. No
security service agents have ever been prosecuted in
connection with the bombings.[53]
Less than 2 years after the Stevens Inquiry released its
findings, the British government enacted the 2005 Inquiries
Act.[54] This legislation gave them extensive control over
public inquiries. They can deny the submission of evidence,
withhold witness statements, and have the power to edit
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findings before they are released. The British 'independent
public inquiry' has been a complete misnomer ever since.[55]
These are just a few examples of the many ways false flag
attacks have been used. Far from rare, they appear to be
fairly standard operating procedure. There is no evidence
whatsoever to substantiate the view that the deep state have
ever made a decision to stop using the strategy.
Does the evidence suggest that 9/11 and 7/7 could have
been further examples of false flag terrorism? One thing is
certain, none of us can possibly know unless we look at it.
************************
“When deeds speak, words are nothing.”
[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon]
************************
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A Dangerous Ideology
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84
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[24]:https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/unts/volume
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[26]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill
[27]:http://communicationethics.net/sub-
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[28]:https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?
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[29]:http://crisiscast.com/
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m/
85
A Dangerous Ideology
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[36]:https://fas.org/irp/nsa/spartans/index.html
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[38]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_34A
[39]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag
[40]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukden_Incident
[41]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleiwitz_incident
[42]:http://cisac.fsISIStanford.edu/publications/the_lavon_
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[43]:https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//news/20010430/northwo
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[44]:https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/turkey-youtube-ban-full-
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[45]:http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?
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[46]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Years_of_Lead
[47]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gladio
[48]:https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/European_Parliament_r
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[49]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Lemnitzer