Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MCGUINNESS BOMB CLIP HAD BEEN ‘BANNED’
BBC Troubles series reveals film snub
A 1972 film that shows Martin Mcguinness sitting in a car that was later used to bomb Derry was “banned” from being shown, it has been claimed in a new programme.
The footage, which also reveals the former deputy first minister showing a gun and ammunition to children, had been due to be released worldwide.
But instead it had just a small number of showings in the US, one of which was positively reviewed in the Irish Times.
The unearthed footage was aired last month in the first episode of Spotlight On The Troubles: A Secret History by BBC Northern Ireland.
A behind-the-scenes show about the series, due to be shown next week, reveals more details about the footage which was part of US documentary called The Secret Army.
It was based on a book by the same name by academic John Bowyer Bell.
It included scenes of a weapons class for IRA recruits as well as Mcguinness handling weapons and sitting in a car that was later used in a bomb attack.
The registration plate of the vehicle the ex-sinn Fein MLA is filmed in matches the remains of one that had been involved in a Shipquay Street blast.
Mr Bowyer Bell is no longer alive but reporter Darragh Macintyre tracked down some of the others behind the film to ask why it appeared to disappear.
He heard claims the author had been working with the CIA as well as an allegation British intelligence agencies had watched the footage in London. The film’s executive producer Leon Gildin told the show a contract had been signed with Viacom for global release. He said: “It was my job to get out and try and sell it. I went to a new company that had just been formed by the name of Viacom and I showed it to them. “They loved it and offered me a contract for worldwide rights.
“Viacom took it for worldwide rights and never sold a copy, not one copy. “Viacom told me British Commonwealth countries were forbidden to show this film.” Mr Gildin claimed Mr Bowyer Bell told him rushes for the film were sent to the UK to be developed. He said: “In London, British intelligence, MI5 or MI6 I don’t recall which, would review the material to see whether they had captured anything that would be of interest to British intelligence or that British intelligence did not want shown.”
Mr Mcintyre told how he approached MI5 and MI6 over the claim but added they would not confirm or deny if they know anything about it.
The show airs clips over the two years the BBC team worked on the series, including Mandy Mcauley persuading EX-UVF terrorist Laurence Maguire to do his first broadcast interview.
The final episode of the seven-part series will examine how the Troubles ended as well as the secret talks that led to the IRA ceasefire and internal struggles within the republican movement.
It will be shown Tuesday at 8.30pm on BBC One NI and BBC Four.
Spotlight on the Troubles: Behind The Scenes will be aired on Thursday on BBC One NI at 9pm.