Decoding the IRA (44 page)
Authors: Tom Mahon,James J. Gillogly
Tags: #Ireland, #General, #Politics: General & Reference, #Terrorism, #Cryptography - Ireland - History, #Political violence, #Europe, #Cryptography, #Ireland - History - 1922, #Europe - Ireland, #Guerrilla warfare - Ireland - History - 20th century, #History - General History, #Irish Republican Army - History, #Internal security, #Political violence - Ireland - History - 20th century, #Diaries; letters & journals, #History, #Ireland - History; Military, #20th century, #Ireland - History - 1922-, #History: World, #Northern Ireland, #Guerrilla warfare, #Revolutionary groups & movements
Finally, in March 1927, at Jones' own urging, Twomey told him to stop working for âStephen' until £5,000 was handed over and a new agreement made. To confirm this, he sent Jones a cryptic cable:âSuspend deliveries immediately without cancelling contract'.
Twomey now decided thatâthe only satisfactory way to fix things properly is to send a delegation to Stephen's HQ [Moscow]. If we can get enough cash for expenses and arrange about passports we will do this.'He proposed that he and Russell travel to the âfountainhead'.
71
Twomey visited London to meet âJames' and to make arrangements for the trip. This time he came away believing that âJames' genuinely wanted to help. âJames' had explained that the problem for the Soviets was thatâall resources are behind the Cantonese [the Chinese nationalists]'. Ironically âJames' also told him that the IRA could have dealt more cleverly with the Russians by charging for each item delivered, rather than depending onâgrants at pleasure'.
72
Acquiring two false passports with visas for Russia posed problems; George could only secure passports with visas for western Europe:âI can only get passports for the continent, after that ye would require assistance from âJames' or the [Communist] Party, otherwise it would be impossible to get there without coming out in the open.'73
âJames'
suggested that Twomey and Russell travel to France on British passports and then use American passports to either travel directly to Russia or go to Germany first, from where the Soviets could get them to Russia. Twomey reported âJames'âcan arrange visas from Germany from his people'and he forwarded a photograph of himself and Seán Russell to Connie Neenan asking him to arrange for two American passports in false names. He suggested the passports could be sent over to Ireland by courier on a transatlantic liner to Mick Burke in Cobh, or posted separately, one to John Williams and the other to Henry Irwin of Thomas Cook and Son, Grafton Street, Dublin.
74
Neenan replied via a cryptic cable:âSuggestions for deliveries unacceptable', indicating that he couldn't get the passports,
75
while George told Twomey that if he wanted a passport he'd need to go to London in person.
76
In view of the support âJames' and âStephen' gave to the proposed trip, Twomey wanted âJones' to continue supplying items to âStephen'but âyou could slack off and let stuff accumulate. Just give a little.'77
Constrained by a lack of cash for the trip and the difficulties in getting passports, Twomey sent one final plea for cash to âJames' on 25 April. The dubious premise of the letter was that £5,000 from the Soviets would fund the republican electoral alliance, leading to victory in the general election in June 1927. Once in power, the new republican government would renege on the Anglo-Irish Treaty, and withdraw from the British Commonwealth, which in turn would threaten the stability of the empire:
My dear friend James, When speaking to you last, I explained how essential it is that we put forward revolutionary candidates at the forthcoming general election. To do this money is indispensable. I hope that you have represented the situation and its possibilities to your people and that they appreciate them.
If we got £5,000 pounds at once we could put up our candidates. The time before the election is very short to conduct the campaign. We would appreciate this amount now, with such an opportunity to exploit a situation, [rather] than a greater amount after the opportunity might have been allowed to pass.
We feel [that] you should stand by us financially. We have done our best for you and I am sure you will agree we are entitled to the amount requested. It is due almost as arrears on the agreement with you, apart from consideration of services rendered elsewhere.
Please inform George without delay if we can have the money. With assurances of my regards. Your friend. Chairman [Moss Twomey].
78
The fall of the British empire for a mere £5,000 certainly seemed like good value!
Two weeks later Georgeâhad a letter from “James”. He is in Moscow. He told me to inform you [Moss Twomey] that everything would be fixed up and he is anxious that you cable this decision to our representative in America ⦠He will be back in less than two weeks.'79
A few days later Twomey sent word to America to resume the work, butâuntil money is actually paid, however, do not give everything.'80
By mid-May the prospects of a republican election pact had ended in failure and Twomey was worried that âJames' could find out. He wrote to George:âDo not mention anything about this to “James” should you see him.'81
On 27 May George sent a cryptic message to Twomey notifying him that âJames' was ready to hand over £1,000.
82
After Twomey collected the money in London he wrote to Connie Neenan, summing up the extent of the financial crisis. He reported that the IRA were in debt to the tune of £300 to âfriends' and that none of the full-time officers at GHQâhad got a penny for a few months'.
83
Twomey was also critical of the way âJames' had treated George, including ordering equipment costing £40 and then becoming uncontactable:âIt was cool on [the] part of “James” to put you in such a position'.
84
Two weeks before the Russians handed over the money to Twomey, they suffered a major setback in London. For quite some time MI5 had been aware that the Soviet trade office, known as Arcos, was the headquarters for Red Army intelligence in Britain. Acting on the pretext of a stolen obsolete Royal Air Force training manual, the Special Branch carried out a raid on the Arcos offices on 12 May. When the Russians refused to hand over the keys to two massive safes the police brought in pneumatic drills and oxyacetylene torches and carried off piles of incriminating documents. The haul provided evidence of a huge Soviet intelligence and subversion effort and on 26 May Britain severed diplomatic relations with the USSR. Following this the RU declared Britain a âdenied area', meaning that espionage against it had to be carried out from adjacent countries and the base for intelligence operations against Great Britain was moved to Amsterdam, with only a few âdeep cover' networks left in the country.
85
With the Special Branch active throughout the city, George
reported to Twomey on 16 May:âThings are bad. Police very active. Have destroyed most of my stuff and dumped the rest. If I am pinched nothing will be found on me. Be careful what you say in letters coming across.'86
For some reason Twomey felt that George should be OK: âI do not think there is any cause for undue anxiety.' Twomey also realised that the raid would make the Soviets more dependent on the IRA: âThis business may result to our advantage.'
87
Figure 25. George, the OC in Britain, reported to Moss Twomey on the increased police activity in London following Scotland Yard's raid on the headquarters of the Soviet trading offices (Arcos):
Things are bad. Police [are] very active. Have destroyed most of my stuff and dumped the rest. If I am pinched nothing will be found on me. Be careful what you say in letters coming across.
Â
Not surprisingly, âJames' dropped out of sight, and George wrote in June:âI have not heard from “James” or his friend. I thought I gave you to understand that I had made definite arrangements, as to how we were to pick up again when they are in a position to do so. He has [a] covering address and calling addresses for getting in touch here.'88
Though George continued to send books and journals to the Soviets, they were no longer covering his expenses:âFunds are getting very low. [The] book account has taken nearly all the cash in hand. Subscriptions overdue for many journals. If you can, will you please send me a little [money]. If we are to maintain the connection I think it is essential that we keep on sending the books etc.'89
By the beginning of October they had told him they would cover his expenses for book purchases.
Taking advantage of this, Twomey asked for
The Science of War
,âprovided you do not have to spend our money'.
90
âJames' contacted George again in September:â[I] received another letter from [our] friend [James]. He is in Amsterdam. He wants to see âAmbrose' [Seán MacBride] immediately. [He] gives [the] name of a café where he can be met in. [He] says he has a present which he is anxious to get rid of.'91
However, with Seán MacBride in jail (falsely accused of the killing of Kevin O'Higgins) Twomey replied that George's request was ârather awkward and impossible to fulfil at the present' and asked if âJames' could send on the âpresent'.
92
Whatever the âpresent' was, subsequent letters reveal that it doesn't appear to have been money. George pressed Twomey to go to Amsterdam himself: âI have received another letter from [James'] representative and he mentionsthat he and another man are still waiting in Holland for the chairman [of the Army Council] or some officer, who will be in a position to settle some big questions. Would it be possible for you to come here this weekend?'93
Walter Krivitsky of the RU later claimed he met with three IRA officers in Holland in 1927.
94
It's here in the autumn of 1927 that our information on the Soviet connection with the IRA in Britain ends. Given the degree of secrecy accorded the relationship, it would be conjecture to make any statements as to how the association continued, or indeed if it did. However, there is evidence to suggest it may have ended soon afterwards. Or did it just go deeper or was the centre of the relationship moved to America?
The refusal of the Russians for much of 1927 to pay the IRA was, aside from financial constraints, likely a deliberate ploy. Stalin had committed himself to âsocialism in one country' and the duty of the RU was to help strengthen the revolution at home, not entangle the Soviet Union in the dreams and plans of the IRA, which on discovery would have been detrimental to Soviet interests. Walter Krivitsky said that the Russian politburo âtemporarily forbade any dealings with the Irish to avoid possible prejudice to their attempts to obtain credits in London'.
95
In addition, it was natural for the Soviets to try and get as much from the IRA for as little expenditure as possible, and to continually endeavour to run their IRA contacts as individual agents. The RU was prepared to give a little money
to the IRA in return for useful intelligence, but not to provide significant financing or weapons.
Figure 26. The OC. Britain, George, reported to Moss Twomey that âJames', the Soviet intelligence officer, wanted to meet Seán MacBride (âAmbrose') in Amsterdam. This letter was written in September 1927, and not 1924:
Received another letter from [our] friend [âJames']. He is in Amsterdam. He want[s] to see âAmbrose' immediately. [He] gives [the] name of a café where he can be met in, says he has a present, which he is anxious to get rid of.