Jim Sturgess Says;- IRA were some of the nicest people that I ever met, says actor

Up and coming young actor Jim Sturgess — who stars in the new informer movie 50 Dead Men Walking — has spoken about the “human side” of the IRA and how some of its members were “the nicest people” he’d ever met.

The Surrey-born actor, who plays double agent Martin McGartland in the movie, told how he was introduced to former members of the IRA, who acted as “chaperones” while filming took place in Belfast.

And he claimed they were “passionate people”, who weren’t just caught up in the IRA “for violence’s sake”.

Sturgess was speaking to Empire movie magazine ahead of the general release of 50 Dead Men Walking in April. The movie will also close the ninth Jameson Belfast Film Festival.

His comments about the movie are likely to cause controversy. Hollywood actress Rose McGowan, who stars alongside Sturgess, came under fire last year when she said she would have joined the IRA, had she grown up in Belfast.

Sturgess said he didn’t know what to expect when he first came to Belfast to shoot 50 Dead men Walking.

“It was confusing for me, because I met what I believed were these thuggish terrorists from Belfast that blew places up in England — the IRA was presented to me like that — so when I met these people, and saw the human side, they were some of the nicest people I’d ever met.

“So instantly you start trying to understand what it all meant for them, that they weren’t just doing it for violence’s sake. Some of them were genuinely nice, passionate people.

“And it was a thrilling undercover ride, really. We would go into these pubs that we would never normally be allowed to hang out in, but because of who we were with we were vouched for. I would definitely not do that as an average citizen visiting Belfast. So it was exciting, becoming part of the city — or at least pretending to. Soaking it all in.”

Sturgess, who also stars in Heartless, 21 and The Other Boleyn Girl and has been hailed as “the new James McAvoy” said he wasn’t aware of the dangers facing him until filming had ended.

“We were given kind of chaperones, these people who looked after us, who were ex-members of the IRA and we basically stayed with them for two weeks before we started,” he said.

“It was kept under wraps because, in the areas we were in, he (Martin McGartland) is not a popular man. But even so, afterwards I learned there were times when I was probably in more danger than I realised. I was blissfully unaware, but I think the producers were having mini heart attacks.”

50 Dead Men Walking is based on the autobiographical book of the same name by Martin McGartland, who was recruited by the British police to infiltrate the IRA.

He was unmasked by the IRA in 1991 and narrowly escaped death when he leapt from a third floor window in a block of flats.

In 1999 the IRA tracked him down to a town in Whitley Bay and shot him six times, but failed to kill him. McGartland remains in hiding.

Story link:- http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/ira-were-some-of-the-nicest-people-that-i-ever-met-says-actor-14207086.html

Northumbria Police Institutional Denial and Cover-Up

Institutional denial - Northumbria Police must now tell the truth

I maintain that Chief Superintendent Chris Thomson (the SIO heading my 1999 attemped murder case) and also the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police have knowingly put forward false information, misleading and even damaging information about me to both the press and also me as the victim in this case.

I also maintain that Chief Superintendent Chris Thomson and also the Northumbria Police Chief Constable have, since my 1999 attempted murder, been party to a covered-up. The cover-up of IRA involvment in my case and also hiding the truth. It can not be right that police officers and or a police force, Northumbria Police, can be involved in a cover-up of an attempted murder which was carried out by IRA terrorist. Northumbria Police, its Special Branch and Mi5 continue to hide the truth from me as the victim in this case. I maintain that Chief Superintendent Chris Thomson, Northumbria Police Chief Constable are being influenced by political pressure.

Northumbria Police have damning evidence that lays bare the role of IRA involvment in my 1999 attempted murder. However, Northumbria Police have, since June 1999, turned a blind-eye to my attempted murder by the IRA.

Northumbria Police continue to cover-up both the events, background of the 1999 IRA attack on me and also IRA involvment in my shooting. I have a right to know the truth and I also have the right to get justice in my case. I will not rest until Northumbria Police tell the truth.
My hope is that Northumbria Police will stop their cover-up, their hiding the truth of that terrible deed that was committed by the IRA on the 17th June 1999 against me.
It is very clear that there is a hierarchy of victims in Northern Ireland, justice appears to be one eyed. Northumbria police, in my view, have failed me and they continue to do so. Northumbria Police have let me, as the victim in this case, down.

Northumbria Police's investigation into my attempted murder has been flawed from day one. As the victim I have been virtually ignored by Northumbria Police. I maintain Northumbria Police have acted unlawfully when dealing with my case(s) and that they continue to act unlawfully and have breached my Human Rights.

I will be reserving all my legal rights and I am reserving the right to take legal action against both the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police and also Chief Superintendent Chris Thomson. I hold them directly responsible for the leading role they have played in what I regard a systematic cover-up by Northumbria Police.

My disgust and mistrust of Northumbria Police Chief Constable and also Chief Superintendent Chris Thomson is such that I have no confidence whatsoever in them. I have already informed them of this many times.

There must now be an independent review into my 1999 attempted murder case. The case should also be taken over by another independent third party. The events before, during and after my shooting must now be investagated properly, openly and more importantly transparently. The role of the CPS must also be looked at