''Where the state's own authorities are concerned we must be as sure as we can of the truth'' -- Prime Minister Tony Blair on the need for a full-scale judicial inquiry into the killing by the army of 13 civilians on ''Bloody Sunday'' in 1972
Since the events of July 7th 2005, The Antagonist has had precious little time for the dead-tree and airwave-occupier media but sometimes, just sometimes, they redeem themselves in some small part (see today's print edition for the G2 article in all its technicolour glory).
What is most curious about the Mark Honigsbaum article in today's Guardian, apart from the fact such an article questioning the official narrative actually appeared in any mainstream media journal, is perhaps the fact that a mainstream media organ has picked up on something that even the much vaunted vanguard of dissident bloggers hasn't yet picked up on to any great degree, save for one or two notable exceptions.
Of those that have highlighted the many questions raised by the campaigners demanding that the authorities RELEASE THE EVIDENCE that supports their narrative, the fall-back position is limited to a demand for a Public Inquiry under the much ignored Inquiries Act 2005, passed specifically to limit the scope, capabilities and independence of any such Public Inquiry.
The Hutton Inquiry, widely regarded as a whitewash of the highest order, set the precedent for all future inquiries and that was without recourse to the new legislation. Thus far, the government has stated there will be no Public Inquiry, even under the new legislation, into the events of July 7th, July 21st - the day the bombers had no bombs, or the extra-judicial killing of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station.
Given the diversity of people and organisations from which calls for a Public Inquiry/Enquiry into July 7th are being repeatedly launched, or even the calls for an Independent Inquiry/Enquiry to which the public would not be privy, it should be of great concern to anyone with even a passing interest in truth and justice that there has been precious little discussion about the Inquiries Act 2005, the framework under which such an inquiry would be conducted, should such a thing ever be granted.
The Inquiries Act 2005 was, in part, brought about in response to the call for a full and Independent Public Inquiry into the brutal murder of Pat Finucane. He was shot dead by two masked men on 12 February 1989 in front of his wife and his three children at their home in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was shot 14 times, including at close range. In the aftermath of his killing, evidence emerged that police and military intelligence agents had colluded with Loyalist paramilitaries in his murder, as well as allegations of an official cover-up of such collusion.
Amnesty International has called for the boycott of all inquiries under the Inquiries Act 2005, specifically with regard to the Finucane case and demanded that the act be repealed:
Amnesty International calls on all judges, whether in the United Kingdom (UK) or in other jurisdictions, to decline appointments as chairs or panel members to any inquiry established under the recently enacted Inquiries Act 2005, including an inquiry into allegations of state collusion in the murder of Patrick Finucane. The organization is also urging the Act's repeal.
Amnesty International supports the call of Geraldine Finucane, Patrick Finucane's widow, to all senior judges in England, Wales and Scotland not to serve on an inquiry into her husband's case held under the new legislation.
"By proposing to hold an inquiry into the Finucane case under the Inquiries Act 2005, the UK government is trying to eliminate independent scrutiny of the actions of its agents. Any judge sitting on such an inquiry would be presiding over a sham," Amnesty International said.
If The State will go to such great lengths to prevent an inquiry into one brutal killing 16 years ago, it may be sensible to consider to what lengths the state will go to prevent further inquiry into the brutal murders of 56 in London on July 7th 2005.
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Update 01: The Guardian offered the July 7th Truth Campaign a right to reply to the Mark Honigsbaum J7 article, read it on Comment is Free.
Update 02: Home Secretary, Dr John Reid, admits that the Official Report of the London Bombings is wrong, before going on to rewrite history without missing a beat. Ananova runs with confirmation from Scotland Yard Polis HQ that the Home Office didn't get the wrong train time from them, or even any train time at all.
Sir Walter Scott said it best when he said:
“Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive....”