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Kinnear & Co. Solicitors represent the family of Jean Smyth-Campbell, who was killed in a drive-by shooting by the undercover British Army Unit (the MRF), in June 1972. At the time Jean’s family were told that the IRA had carried out the attack. The RUC then parroted this falsehood to the inquest in November 1972. […]

From the archives: Special Order of the Day by the General Officer Commanding Freeland on 15th August 1969. GOC Freeland: “We are rapidly moving into an operation which might be one of the trickiest that you have experienced.” And so began Operation Banner, one of the longest, continuous deployments of British Army forces in its […]

For over 10 years, the families have asked police investigators where was the British Army’s death-squad, MRF, when McGurk’s Bar was bombed. Every investigation by the police and Police Ombudsman’s Office in the 46 years since the atrocity, which claimed the lives of 15 civilians, have failed to even prove the existence of the Miltary Reaction […]

Pat Fahy, solicitor for the family, writes in the Irish News about the murder of Councillor Patsy Kelly. The murder of Trillick, Co Tyrone councillor Patsy Kelly, in 1974 remains a dark stain on our policing and justice systems. This was an abduction and killing widely believed to have been carried out by members of the Ulster Defence Regiment in uniform. That […]

Statement by the family of Patsy Kelly on the discovery of startling new information which points towards a cover-up by the British state. Startling new information relating to the 1974 abduction and murder of Independent Councillor, Patsy Kelly (right), from Trillick, Co. Tyrone, has been uncovered following a freedom of information request on behalf of […]

In this Paper Trail Pro podcast, we out Britain’s Man in Maynooth. We examine the rather cosy relationship between a highly influential Irish Monsignor at Maynooth College and a British covert spy and propaganda unit. At first glance, the file I found was a brief, quite nondescript information report from one British civil servant in the Dublin […]

In this podcast, we examine the early career of British soldier and Loyalist paramilitary, Brian Nelson. When the murky history of the Troubles is written, Brian Nelson’s name is assured of a place. His name has become synonymous with the word “collusion” as he was a double agent run by British military intelligence at the […]

Below is a summary of Paper Trail’s response to the consultation, Addressing the Legacy of the Past in Northern Ireland. Paper Trail’s project manager worked with the families of the Time for Truth Campaign which gathered nearly 15K responses to the consultation, Addressing the Legacy of the Past. Below is a summary of Paper Trail’s […]

Is this the earliest record of an operational Military Reaction Force (MRF)? A British Army 39 Brigade Commander’s Diary from October 1971 could have uncovered the earliest operational record of the clandestine Military Reaction Force. We have other records naming the main players like Captain Arthur Watchus and Sergeant Clive Graham Williams from the beginning […]