miami killings killings called attack volunteer force loyalist paramilitary group july took place road county northern_ireland people killed including members ireland popular bands band travelling home dublin late night performance halfway stopped appeared military gunmen british_army uniforms ordered line gunmen serving soldiers british_army unbeknownst band members gunmen soldiers hiding time bomb exploded prematurely killed gunmen opened fire band members killing wounding believed bomb meant explode route killing band framing bomb possibly leading security measures border serving british soldiers british soldier found guilty murders received life sentences released responsible attack belonged gang secret alliance loyalist rogue police officers british soldiers allegations british military intelligence agents involved according agent captain killings organised british intelligence officer commander jackson investigated killings released report victims families december confirmed jackson linked attack massacre dealt blow northern_ireland live music scene brought young catholics report published called attack worst atrocities year history troubles summed massacre incident madness time background political situation northern_ireland conflict northern_ireland known troubles began late 1960s year marked attacks vicious feud main loyalist paramilitary groups volunteer force april lifted secretary state northern_ireland meant legal organisations banned british government october called general strike protest agreement attempt power sharing setting cross border given government ireland voice running northern_ireland strike carried dublin car bombings killed civilians provisional suspected british police bombing english city birmingham following november resulting deaths home secretary introduced gave government unprecedented powers liberty individuals united_kingdom peacetime christmas declared theoretically lasted loyalists suspicious secret accord conducted british government northern_ireland sold fears slightly grounded fact officer involved negotiations member structures ireland discussed meant possible withdrawal british troops northern_ireland existence talks led believe abandoned british government forced united ireland result loyalist paramilitary groups reacted violence combined despite years conflict early set elections northern_ireland politicians plan way forward held won northern irish seats february general election won majority form power sharing dublin government agreement reached convention failed northern_ireland politicians communities represented mid mid brigade operated mainly areas set time sergeant permanent staff instructor commander brigade leadership endorsed leader brigade described author ruthless units operating 1970s time attack mid brigade commanded known jackson assumed command mid days attack allegedly shooting dead outside home july according authors jackson accompanied killed named operative having organised led dublin bombings jackson journalist suggested shot refusing participate miami attack informer exchange immunity prosecution dublin bombings suggested large number joint members planned ambush considered security risk decided killed alert authorities jackson alleged agent said hidden hand programme links captain report implicated jackson dublin bombings killings attributed based civil rights group popular dublin based band enjoying fame according journalist like devotion fans sides irish border typical irish based popular seven member dance band basic repertoire included cover versions pop songs currently charts standard dance numbers music ranged rock country western jazz played traditional irish music performances originally called quartet miami reformed rock promoter gave new dublin born singer frontman miami underwent personnel changes years december rock left band briefly replaced brothers year keyboardist won gold star award reach stars television programme early aka took group frontman simon brothers quit band following year band lead vocalist replacement sacked noted good looks popularity female fans described bass guitarist having greatest soul singer ireland asked leave band complaining performing northern_ireland lives risk replaced turn replaced eventually band permanent bass player late song hands feet featuring lead vocals reached number irish charts line comprised catholics lead vocalist keyboard player catholic guitarist catholic dublin protestant aka des lee catholic belfast bassist catholic county drummer protestant married children engaged married music described contemporary reference northern_ireland conflict gained large following playing crowds people dance halls island band overt interest politics religious beliefs people audience prepared travel ireland perform fans according height irish popularity 1950s 1970s bands travelled venues ireland nightly basis ambush members dublin based band travelling home performance castle ballroom county thursday july band drummer chosen home town spend night parents band road manager gone ahead minutes earlier equipment van band seven miles north main road driven seat reached near junction armed men dressed british_army uniforms waving red torch circular motion troubles normal british_army set time assuming legitimate informed inside military ahead pulled lay directed armed men rolled window produced driving licence gunmen came said northern irish accent things step van minutes check band members got told line facing ditch rear hands heads men appeared darkness guns pointed gunmen according author journalist told asked band members names addresses success performance night took information car pulled man appeared scene wore uniform noticeably different spoke educated english accent immediately took charge ordering man appeared leader patrol tell obtain names dates birth instead addresses mood gunmen abruptly ceased time new soldier speak band members directly address relayed instructions command band new bass player assumed british_army officer opinion shared arrival mysterious soldier standing saying don worry stephen british_army thought protestant northern_ireland familiar security regular british_army efficient reputation unpredictable behaviour especially people republic son grand close relatives security forces brother law member disbanded described sophisticated father type figure everybody respectful brian words taken seriously band members said considered accurate explosion gunmen soldiers locally recruited infantry regiment british_army northern_ireland suggested dirty war serving soldiers present gunmen members lying wait ambush band having set minutes sight band members gunmen placed pound time bomb rear plan bomb explode reached killing board alleged bomb meant suggested gone according plan loyalist able bomb claim band republican bomb carrying explosives behalf hoped government ireland draw attention level control border resulted irish authorities enforcing controls border restricting operations opined reason decided target irish nationalists held high regard attack band strike nationalists indirectly heard gunmen kept guitar concerned damaged approached gunmen told careful asked valuable inside case replied turned round punched pushed shoulder line gunmen closed rear door clumsy clock caused device explode prematurely blowing apart killing soldiers aged telephone aged textile worker instantly opposite directions bodies little remained intact bodies burnt recognition completely following explosion remaining gunmen opened fire band members knocked field level road force blast order shoot given patrol apparent leader eliminate witnesses subsequent bombing musicians killed lead singer guitarist die having hit rounds pistol initial volley gunfire attempted run away quickly chased gunmen immediately jumped field pursuit machine times face lay ground attempted escape caught gunmen shot times head men pleaded lives shot cried don shoot don kill bassist seriously wounded bullet struck gunmen begun shooting survived pretending dead lay body saxophone player hit door blown explosion badly wounded lay hidden thick gunmen survived flames burning set fire explosion soon came dangerously close lay forced leave hiding spot time gunmen left scene assuming killed later recalled hearing departing gunmen tell kicked body sure alive come dead got way embankment main road lift alert barracks forensic evidence arrived site found dead bodies seriously injured body parts remains destroyed debris bomb blast bullets spent band members personal possessions including clothing shoes photograph group area discovered stolen white ford escort registration number left gunmen guns ammunition green pair glasses later traced ordered men arrived wake killings scenes crime officer described scene having smell utterly death place burning blood burning tyres added bomb definitely placed view killing band identifiable body bombers survive blast heard miles away severed arm belonging found yards site tattoo investigative unit assassination squad detectives set investigate crime discover identities gunmen killings recovered hospital second survivor gave police description wearing dark glasses appeared leader patrol time attack officers questioned subsequently stated refused accept description different coloured worn soldier english accent gunmen worn green man lighter colour dead bombers named statement issued hours attack soldiers holding rank major lieutenant respectively named hidden hand programme dublin car bombers stolen ford escort belonged man according captain links bombers driver bomb car left explode street dublin prime suspects killing april evidence indicates member gang took guns attack independent panel inquiry commissioned established weapons actually killings sterling guns pistol serial guns stolen years earlier member linked prior later killings kill leading member previous january letter bombing tavern dated february stated confirmed pistol traced murder miami murders discovered metal barrel home constructed pistol later established killings found security forces home jackson charged possession convicted trial judge having reportedly said end day find accused touched crown evidence left completely dark willingly destroyed august aftermath reactions hours attack belfast leadership issued statement released heading miami incident report patrol led major suspicious vehicles car parked near border major ordered patrol occupants questioning questioned major began search began enter vehicle bomb detonated men killed outright precise moment explosion patrol came intense automatic fire occupants vehicle patrol sergeant immediately ordered fire returned self loading rifles sub machine guns patrol returned fire killing attackers wounding patrol later recovered rifles pistol maintains regular border patrols continued activity provisional assisting south south units killed british soldiers members treated gunshot wounds night hospital appear patrol surprised members terrorist organisation transferring weapons miami explosive device description carried unlawful purpose obvious patrol justified taking action killing members regarded homicide officers agents central intelligence agency actions tender deepest sympathy relatives officers died attempting remove bomb given paramilitary conducted free presbyterian minister democratic party politician killings shocked northern_ireland ireland strain anglo irish relations reported night following attack british ambassador sir summoned hear government ireland strong feelings murder band members government held view stop northern_ireland following post held slain musicians received televised news coverage ireland public service broadcaster according families deep mourning ireland according provisional gun bomb attack loyalist belfast road august retaliation miami ambush protestant civilians men women member killed attack days later disc jockey norman aged shot dead packed equipment bar member loyalist paramilitary group close friend harris seen said killed alleged association british_army officer member 14th captain claimed possession diary stolen attacks following month similar attacks area night massacre gunmen opened fire near travelling people board catholics returning regular session report says stopped fake british_army catholic civilians shot passenger killed outright driver died wounds january attack blamed loyalists lost lives account death conflict states reliable loyalist sources confirmed responsible police blamed suggested meant attack police revenge miami killings mistakenly attacked civilian instead report police suggests denied responsibility august catholic civilians stopped car fake british_army near driving home football match dublin men found shot dead nearby earlier night officers unmarked car stopped allowed officers suspected fake receiving radio confirmation authorised area night reported incident requested help british_army investigate action taken officer claims corporal involved attack convictions number suspects arrested early august men aged painting contractor 11th battalion charged miami killings believed betrayed member gang recounted night killings driven grounds school picked men drove lay dual met men wearing british_army uniforms subsequently set regular military told police later court played large attack refused felt lives family danger january second soldier aged optical worker arrested charged miami killings served 11th battalion led glasses found murder scene tests glasses eventually traced revealed lenses worn population statement admission published book lost lives little planning came connection fact uniform given sub machine gun fired passed explosion happened lost gun glasses october received life sentences miami murders pleaded guilty pleaded guilty judge sentencing years imprisonment handed longest life sentences history northern_ireland commented killings like miami stopped added death penalty abolished imposed case trial received death threats fear safety family caused eventually leave northern_ireland person soldier aged brother arrested following raid september charged miami murders attempted murder murder given total life sentences murders miami members falls murder november pleaded guilty convicted men admitting having scene denied having shot men named gunmen caught men sent serve sentence outskirts reported june began hunger strike maze obtain special category status released terms belfast agreement allegations continued allegation case presence captain scene serving agent captain suggested organised attack operation mid maiden parliamentary speech july told house_of_commons likely organised attack surviving band members told police later testified court british_army officer crisp english accent oversaw attack book dirty war dismissed allegation present believed based erroneous earlier murder man county pistol attacks soldier english accent wrote highly dubious absurd conclude superficial factors present miami murders told source close loyalist present murder miami described english man having normal height thought fair hair certain able positively identify photograph having man programme today tonight aired documentary claimed associates revealed programme researchers deliberately detonated bomb eliminate carried green killing journalist reilly noted men convicted massacre implicated attack accused causing death band road manager stated drove away lead minutes ahead band passed security barriers manned continued ahead pass noticed blue triumph pulling parked lay recalled car slowed accelerated flashing lights men observed acting inside castle ballroom band performance night suggesting movements carefully monitored persistent allegation direct involvement mid leader men taken august questioned suspect killings released charge independent panel inquiry commissioned concluded credible evidence principal attack man prosecuted alleged agent panel revealed weeks attack jackson brother law arrested possession car allegedly attack later shot dead january allegedly jackson having informed participation attack panel stated unclear jackson police custody time killings took place maintained dirty war attack planned weeks house person charge overall operation man referred legal reasons opined god gun church irish terrorism dead bombers actually led gang journalists suggested respective articles jackson leader unit british soldier writer published book wasted years wasted lives volume alternative theory suggested loyalist researcher ambush planned elaborate means eliminating trumpet player griffin suggests originally came strong family connections possibly approached stage jackson view securing help carrying attacks refused jackson hatched plan murder band mates retaliation choosing ambush site similarity bus kill griffin goes add set plant bomb board van ensure presence confirmed handed driver license gunmen thinks gone plan bomb planted van instructed drive bomb gone portray miami members mission blow local barracks griffin based theory bullets fired body jackson found furthermore opined jackson man saw kicking body sure dead named killings violent attacks gang irish nationalist community 1970s gang loose alliance loyalist allegedly operating command comprised rogue elements british security forces carried killings mid county area comes farm owned according special patrol group officer arms dump bomb making site alleged bomb miami attack came mitchell farm number attacks including dublin bombings published findings official investigation dublin bombings commissioned judge later years years onset troubles july attack incident involving incident adverse effect irish scene bands afraid play northern_ireland emergence later decade meant converted leaving venues available perform mid-1980s lost appeal irish public miami albeit series different line ups miami reformed new members fronted returned northern_ireland year living south_africa member husband sister killed travelled belfast secret meeting second command attempt come terms killing colleagues friends meeting arranged government ireland role crucial northern_ireland peace process hudson minister close friend encounter took place inside hudson church souls belfast man identified apologised attack explained gunmen opened fire band panicked night revealed book loyalists instrumental bringing visited home hoping meet come door presently resides near lives evangelical minister belfast cut ties opposed january found dead road flat aged died cancer kidney memorials monument dedicated dead miami members unveiled ceremony square north dublin december survivors present unveiling tribute monument limestone bronze granite county sculptor site old band played mural memorial plaque harris estate lived plaque describes having killed action report alleged involvement massacre published sunday mirror newspaper called ambush worst atrocities year history troubles summed massacre incident madness time journalist denounced attack following statement group harmless young men easily troubles stamp issued ireland september commemorating miami cent stamp designed publicity photograph band included slain members line frontman series stamps issued post celebrating golden age irish era 1950s 1970s report set investigate controversial troubles related deaths released report killings victims families december findings noted report confirmed leader involvement identified agent according report jackson claimed police senior officer advised lie low information passed headquarters police statement following arrest possession jackson maintained week taken custody officers tipped discovery claimed clear job country way testing linked specifically attack jackson questioned killings discovered miami inquiry team informed developments died cancer aged families held press conference dublin report released asked comment report replied long time got justice express concern fact charged attempted murder perpetrators offered apology offered believe conclusion possible arising report prolific loyalist murderers conflict agent involved miami attack said killings raised disturbing questions corrupt behaviour
Miami Showband killings