Bearings: The Compass Trilogy Part One
Page 8
I looked at the bio’. McQueen had given birth when she was eighteen. The father was six years older. She had immediately been shown the door by her father who for the first two years of his grandson’s life didn’t want to know. She had been on welfare payments ever since. The father didn’t appear to be too interested in the boy and wasn’t too forthcoming towards the child’s upbringing. What was interesting was the fact that always around Christmas and the boys birthday there seemed to be an influx of cash. How was she getting it…? Charlie had always maintained there were no drugs or prostitution; she certainly didn’t frequent the known areas for such things, but…?
Ward had arrived. He seemed a little overawed when he saw the eight people waiting for him. I decided to begin…
“Afternoon Mark, it’s good of you to come… My name is Iain, I’m Section Chief here, Charlie you already know… On your left are Chris, he’s our Section Head and Norman is OC South… On your right is Sarah she’s our Head of Service Liaison, Steve and Frank are from SO12 and 13… The Gentleman behind you is the SIS Director. As you can see we are taking what you have to say very seriously I believe you are already aware of our interest in the woman and why…?”
“Sir, yes sir…”
“Iain is fine… If you call me sir, I’ll keep looking behind me for my father ok…?”
A smile, good that seemed to settle him, It was time to begin, Charlie would ask him the questions…
“Ok laddie let’s hear it…”
“Well, after following O’Hanlon back to the bookmakers he entered an empty shop opposite. I decided to have a look-see, I could only hear parts of the conversation, some of his, but he was definitely speaking to another man…”
He went silent, maybe to allow Steve to finish his notes. Charlie prompted…
“Go on laddie…”
“He said the other man was to make sure that he, O’Hanlon, was out if the way before she was killed…”
Chris interjected…
“Did you catch why…? They don’t tap people for nothing, there has to be a political or operational reason particularly one’s related to a lauded brigade member, banged up in choky or not…”
“O’Hanlon said to get the keys off her and to make sure he retrieves the ten grand from her body. Oh yeah, he said because everyone knew what she was, no one would be surprised if she was kneecapped…”
I responded…
“Kneecapped…? He definitely said that…? To make it look like a punishment gone wrong…?”
“He did yes, I’m positive…”
“So, she’s to get keys for which she is to be paid ten grand for then done in… Ok, so it isn’t imminent then…”
“No indication to what the keys belonged to…?”
“No Chief, if it was mentioned, I never caught that, sorry…”
“That’s ok…Thanks Mark, nicely done, stay around for this please, there is also something else to discuss with you… Chris I believe you have a theory…?”
Chris stood picked up a marker pen and wrote on the board… “Charlie…? Jump in if I miss something…”
“For years we’ve known certain bookmakers on occasion have been used for money laundering to fund PIRA operations. Historically this activity is only seen when the op’ is at an advanced stage, when the money is moving, this could be now. I think O’Hanlon is funding another journey for McQueen, that’s why we now have Starling on her, I suggest we shadow the bookie full time now too. Do you have anything to add Charlie…?”
Charlie nodded and took the floor…
“O’Hanlon is clean, too clean... In fifteen years there has not been a single POI seen entering his business that to me says they’ve been ordered to stay away… There are three POIs living in close proximity to the betting shop who enjoy a flutter, this establishment would be a realistic destination for them…I’d have to agree with Chris, he is funding Angela McQueen at the very least…”
I butted in…
“If she is to be eliminated, a sanctioned hit too. I would assume it’s to tie up a loose end…? It’s realistic then to think the bookie could be on the list as well, right Charlie…?”
“I’d say so Iain yes… I would also suggest Donna is aware too. She has powerful friends in the brigade who would make life very difficult for the person who taps her sister… Secondly Angela must either be on the game or pushing drugs, they wouldn’t be talking of ‘capping her otherwise. This is big, very big. The premium payment for the keys which to me are clearly for an overseas property suggests it is strategic to their long term plans…”
I stood and approached Charlie…
“Ok, I want two things... I want Lapwing on O’Hanlon full time and Sarah…? I want you to contact Niklas Meier at BND to find out who’s visited McQueen in the last six months…”
Everyone moved I nodded to Steve Case to follow. I wanted his take on the organised crime. I wanted to know about money laundering. Would there be a way to look at the bookies quietly…? O’Hanlon’s file arrived at 1600.
It was clear another excursion was on the cards. Having Starling shadowing her fulltime now would enable him to follow her whenever and wherever she goes including Europe. Codenames were assigned to the two of them. O’Hanlon would now be referred to as “Stakeholder” and McQueen as “Backpack”.
*****
A major part of my motivation when exploring the need for “Compass”, or whichever weird and wonderful title it was to be given, was the RAF Chinook helicopter crash 2nd June ‘94 a date which remains highlighted in my memory as it was on the eve of me commencing active service… M I 5 lost its director and coordinator in the accident… We lost nine members of Army intelligence including the Head of Military Intelligence for the area… The RUC lost ten of its thirty Special Branch officers, a major blow for the Irish as these thirty had control, well in theory anyway, of the overall operation…
We also now needed to focus on the “unknowns”.
Since the ceasefire was announced, thousands of Irish people were heading “home”. Our security at air and seaports needed to be robust. The lack of box reviews at Plymouth, just one example, proved this. Recently we had received official complaints by the Irish in Britain Representation Group stating that the searching of travellers was excessive… The intensive pressure at the ports was necessary.
The “unknown” or “lilywhite” as they were referred to who had been caught on a det’ cam at Millbay Docks was not the same face caught on film by Box in December “92.
Could McQueen be one such lilywhite...? Her recent movements could certainly be interpreted as such… She had, after all, no criminal or political history.
To add fuel to the embers, known PIRA members, Gerard Harraghy and an American John Crown, had been released during the ceasefire. Their whereabouts were currently unknown to us…
Charlie, Chris and in particular Robin were beginning to see similarities with 1974, the build-up of the return to hostilities. These lilywhites could well be being put in place for the next offensive, together with safe houses and depots.
Cracks in the ceasefire were also showing themselves. Charlie had commented on graffiti daubed in red across walls all along the Falls Road in Belfast “Adair-remember Collins 1922”, A clear message to Gerry Adair, the Sinn Fein leader, alluding to the assassination of Michael Collins in County Cork… To some in these rooms that said it all…
There was a growing rift the size of the Grand Canyon emerging between the IRA and Sinn Fein. Modern members of Parliament and the new Belfast Station Chief were under the illusion the latter ran the show and everything was rosy. This was becoming a growing obstacle for us. Another reason Ward had come to us directly and not to the Belfast Station Chief… The fallout of this would be minimal. The Home and Foreign Secretaries could remember the previous ceasefire very well… The two were also well aware of a little known operation which was thwarted early in ’95, an attempt to assassinate the Sinn Fein leader. This had been a succes
sful operation for Box, an operation denied of course…
Another indicator for us, which was lost on others, was the killing of seven drug dealers. This was seen by more experienced eyes as an inauguration of new volunteers. They had been gunned down using shotguns so no ballistic evidence could link the Direct Action against Drugs group with PIRA. Another subtle reminder of who was really calling the shots.
Nothing had truly changed. Many outsiders were unaware of the IRA constitution, drawn up in 1917. A constitution which states they are to bring about British withdrawal then hold elections and never before. Many outsiders were unaware or just failed to understand this and the fact that the IRA was an organisation absolute. To think of or even ask for compromise would be equally as difficult as trying to stop the wind from blowing…
It was time to have Ward back involved…
“There are one or two areas I’d like to discuss, firstly have a look at the images your team produced and tell me what you think. Speak your mind, say what you feel…”
I pointed to Charlie and Chris and added…
“Expect these two to ask you a couple of things too…”
Ward moved closer, he placed the fifteen images side by side in chronological order on the board. With the camera shutter speed they looked like film stills… Good, the first pointer we were looking for…
“Ok, she’s unhappy, clearly stressed and he’s pushing his weight around. My first question, apart from being the obvious ones would be is she being coerced…?”
We all nodded, he continued…
“She is also uncomfortable fidgety and her body language is very defensive, this again brings me back to the first question…”
Chris walked over and pointed to the collection of images depicting O’Hanlon approaching the café entrance…
“What do these say to you Mark…?”
“That he’s confident, he has a swagger. He feels untouchable which for that city is rare. No one feels untouchable there…”
He saw it and quickly too. We knew where his mind was going. I received affirmative glances so I continued…
“Mark, why didn’t you go to Belfast SC with all of this…? Why direct to us…?”
“I knew Charlie had been on the op’ to search her house. You don’t do that unless she’s important. I also heard whispers about Gerry Adair. Things have changed over there, Chief. Half of them are walking around thinking the Union Jack bunting should be in the streets and the mothers should be making cucumber sandwiches for the tea party. Some of us, and there are a couple of us left, think differently. The IRA won’t stop until we leave. Sinn Fein is as much in charge as I’m Tom Hanks.”
That nailed it, we wanted him here. Chris and Charlie thanked him for visiting and I invited him into my office…
“Mark, we have an opening, a position and we think you can help us with it…”
“I don’t understand…?”
“It’s simple really. We need Charlie for broader investigations; I’m offering you his job…”
“Me…? I’m just through the door.”
“So was I twelve months ago. We need an individual who can walk in to Thames House and request information for us and who equally will offer our take to them. Your boss will be Sarah, she deals with our European cousins…”
I let what I’d said sink in then continued…
“Go home and have a think about it, the Missus will be glad to see you during the week and we know she doesn’t fancy Ireland so it would be a win-win scenario especially with the pay rise and the expense account…”
Mark stood shook my hand and left, stating he would speak to his wife this evening. I also assumed he would speak to his father…
He was young, yes, twenty four years old but he was sharp and he was motivated…
He was the son of a retired Submarine Commander and a Headmistress. He also had two older Married sisters who were equally capable and whose husbands were equally capable too… Clearly if you could bottle their genes you would make your fortune…
Mark had been married to Alison, not surprisingly a teacher, for two years. We also knew she had been making baby noises…
I wandered to the boards and began to scrutinise the photographs, four in particular. O’Hanlon had his back to the lens facing the woman. The wall was to his right with himself sitting in the middle of the two seats. More experienced field officers would have changed their aspect to get the POI side on, even have one officer in the café with them. In the photos he’d leant slightly left then to the right… Had he removed something from his coat and passed it under the table’s blind side…? I rang the fifth floor…
“Andy…? The O’Hanlon crystals, could I have enlarged exposures of numbers ten to fourteen…? Yeah, as soon as please… Yes we’re waiting on them… Thanks…”
With Sarah still on the phone to Germany, I waved the other three over…
“Have a look at these four; tell me what you see…”
They did in various attitudes, distant, close up and normal. It was Norman…
“The son of a bitch…! It’s a pass, that’s deffo a pass for me, boss…”
Charlie nodded and Chris said…
“Look at her face in fifteen… See the glance before and after the move…? I wish Box had kept shooting but… She definitely looks before and after and is there a slight shift to the left too…? Maybe, maybe… Yes it has the hallmarks of a pass…”
Chris picked up the phone…
“Andy, fifteen as well please, oh hell, do all of them… Ten minutes…? Thanks…”
The phones lit up, normal when an officer rang…
“Starling checking in… Backpack is mobile, she has transport… Subject vehicle is a red 1992 Renault 19 TXE. She has a suitcase and the boy too. I’m following her northwest on the M2. She’s heading for her parents in Newtownabbey I’m certain of it… She’s going on another jolly…”
“Stay on her Starling that includes a ferry, any ferry understood…? We’ll clear you all the way…”
“Understood boss, all the way… Great…! I haven’t been abroad for ages. Can I ask her to stop so I can buy a new cozzie and flipflops…?”
“Only if you use your expense account…!” “Rodger that boss…! Out…”
With the banter and the connection result, we were all a little upbeat…
Starling hadn’t noticed the Opel Astra two cars behind… Sarah returned…
“Niklas will have the information in an hour or two then he will send me the names via email. I also fed him a little more on the operation…. He was pleased he had something for his boss…”
“You see…? Reciprocation makes for happy bedfellows…Join us; we think we have more…”
Chris passed her a tea as she looked at the new images from upstairs…
“That’s a pass… Big blokes can’t do them seated without shifting their weight…”
Sarah stated this with certainty. She also lifted number fifteen and ran the eyepiece over a small right hand section…
“And that gentlemen…” she said with satisfaction, “Is the receive…”
She handed the enlarged image and eyepiece to Norman and continued…
“Have a look to the right, just above table level…? It’s the corner of a white envelope…”
She said it again with equal certainty. I lifted the phone…
“Andy, fifteen again please concentrating on the upper right quadrant… Thanks.”
“Well I’m sold, Charlie…?”
A brief look and then…
“Aye yer could well be right…” Chris also looked and agreed…
The enlarged section confirmed the envelope… We now knew were the funding originated. Robin had joined us as two men entered. It was both Foreign and Home Secretaries…
“Good afternoon gentleman, the Director has intimated of an escalation is this correct…?”
“Yes Mr Secretary, if you wish we could brief you now on what we have… The
re is also a recording of the conversation with the Box officer…”
And just so he wouldn’t feel left out…
“Home Secretary I understand there may be a small hiccup with regard to the officer’s actions this morning…?”
“I’m sure there won’t be. What is your opinion of the man…?”
“He’s intelligent, a quick thinker who speaks freely… He has initiative too…”
“Interesting summation, I know his father, of course… His boss described him in a similar manner to you Chief…”
“An upstart sir…?” “Yes…!”
“I think we can help him on that score, we offered him a position here this afternoon…”