Striving for justice, family members of those murdered by an IRA bomber have resorted to raising cash through a national paper in order to fund a court case against him. Why this was allowed to even go this far is beyond belief. As world leaders insult the British public by acknowledging the death of the terrorist leader Martin McGuinness, families here resort to almost begging … [Read more...] about UK families striving to raise money to put suspected IRA bomber behind bars
Read Part Three HERE. This was it—the Trees Phase of selection. We were just above the canopy and traveling at speed, contouring the tops of the trees. The vastness of the jungle was immense; before we were airborne for 10 minutes, all you could see was trees. Clearings came and went, bends in rivers were just visible sometimes, and the extremely odd stream of smoke provided … [Read more...] about Selection for British SAS: Life in the thick of the trees (Part 4)
Prevention is better than a cure. Six ex-British soldiers are being held in India for not having the correct paperwork with company weapons whilst working on a floating armoury. The company who was responsible for them and their ship is nowhere to be seen in defence of the men who now languish in squalor. I am investigating this case and trying to help on them out. Below I … [Read more...] about Pitfalls of the private contracting circuit
Read Part Two HERE We set off out of the camp gate in Brunei in three ranks at a fairly brisk pace, marching along a dusty track. It was early, so it wasn't unbearably hot and damp yet. Still, we weren't in the trees proper yet, and it was already humid. I could hear the waves crashing on the beach, but I couldn't see the water yet. Suddenly without warning, the pace picked … [Read more...] about Selection for British SAS: Learning the rules of the jungle (Part 3)
It's now been over a week since the tragic event that unfolded on one of the world's most famous bridges at Westminster. In the first few hours and even days, there was a lot of confusion as to what went on. The police cordon was there for well over 48 hours, guarding Westminster as a crime scene. From such investigations come facts, and it is with these that we can get moving … [Read more...] about 82 seconds of terror: The attack at Westminster Palace and the problem with unarmed police
The country remains divided and the debate still continues as the U.K. prepares to quit the EU. Nothing has been straightforward and every issue that was there before Brexit remains. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and it is far too early to say if it has been a good idea or not. The ever-present threat to our shores is, as I write this piece, described as … [Read more...] about Big Phil looks at post-EU British security and how Brexit affects it
As you can imagine, being on the truck after completing the endurance portion of SAS selection is a big deal. You ain't popping champagne corks, but you can't help feeling a glow at the thought of making the short trip up the road to Hereford, where you will still be in the running to earn a place in the most prestigious unit in the world. I was in good shape mentally, but my … [Read more...] about Selection for British SAS: Life after the hills and before the trees
It's a sad day when soldiers have to stand trial in civilian courts for stuff that happened on the battlefield. However not only are we there, but one soldier (Al Blackman) went to prison convicted of murder. This has subsequently been dropped to manslaughter through diminished responsibility but the facts remain that he was dragged through the courts and locked up after his … [Read more...] about A look at the law switch, Big Phil’s take on the madness of soldiers being tried in civilian courts
A few weeks ago, I reported on a series of attempted breaches of security as Russian jets headed toward U.K. airspace. Jets were scrambled from all over the country and the Russian bombers changed course as if nothing had ever happened. Earlier still, a Russian ship steamed on past England's shores, a bit close for comfort. It's now gone up a notch, as 800 British troops have … [Read more...] about British troops deployed to Estonia to stand up to Putin
TERROR IN WESTMINSTER we have seen it all before. This is a patriotic insight to an old age problem. Unfortunately London is no stranger to trouble so it's always with an air of expectancy that you travel into town. The IRA blew the place up and even attacked horses. Hitler bombed the city to bits and pieces. Guy Fawkes tried to blow parliament up and we still celebrate the … [Read more...] about Former SAS operator weighs in on the London terrorist attack: London under fire and not for the first time
Sensitive documents detailing the SAS involvement in the killing of eight IRA terrorists attempting to wipe out the Loughgall Police Station and its staff are to be handed over so that prosecutors can try to find loopholes and prosecute the soldiers involved. An eight man IRA unit had planned to blow apart the small police station with a bomb loaded onto a stolen digger … [Read more...] about Police to hand over Loughgall files in Northern Ireland
Note: This is part of a series about Phil Campion's experiences in SAS selection. You can read part one here. The door cracked open on the plane and within a millisecond, the whole plane was engulfed by a hot, sticky, humid heat. It was late and the orange glow of the airport's lights obscured my view out of the small airplane window, which was half steamed up. I had not … [Read more...] about SAS selection: Welcome to jungle (Part 2)
