LONDON: An MI5 agent tried to trap several members of the New Irish Republican Army as part of a plan to detain them, according to a British-Palestinian doctor.
A 65-year-old doctor and political activist named Issam Hijjawi Baslat was detained at London's Heathrow airport in August 2020 for alleged links to Soaradh, which is believed to be the political wing of the Irish terrorist group.
He alleges that an undercover MI5 agent named Dennis McFadden set him up after taking him to an "Army Council" meeting at a rented house in Northern Ireland in July 2020.
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Basalt, an ophthalmologist who has worked for the National Health Service in Scotland since 2010, claimed that McFadden asked him to speak at a public meeting in Belfast in 2020 after the doctor learned he had to travel there from his home in Scotland. Will have to travel to get a medicine. New UK passport for his daughter.
Basalat, who claims to have attended Sauradh public meetings in the past to talk about non-violent and democratic political change, claims that on the day of the meeting, he was taken out of the city to a remote place, where he stayed in a small Claims to have met a group of people, some of whom are believed to be New IRA members.
It is clear that he was tricked into traveling to Belfast. According to Basalt's lawyer Gavin Booth, who spoke to The Times, Dennis McFadden spent a great deal of time convincing Basalt to attend the meeting, followed up with him during his trip to Scotland, and eventually dragged him into an MI5 undercover operation. .
Despite this attempt at entrapment, Dr. Baslat limited his remarks to the need for democratic and peaceful change. He did not advocate terrorism or acts of violence.
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Prosecuting lawyers argue that Baslat had been in regular contact with New IRA members over the years and had spoken to them about ways to link up with other paramilitary organizations around the world.
Following his arrest, Baslat lost his right to practice medicine in the UK, and has been forced to rely on government assistance since his release from Maghaberry Prison, near Belfast, after suffering a heart attack. Had to happen There, he was remanded on suspicion of supporting a terrorist organization.
On the same day Bassalt was detained in London, nine Sauradh members were also detained in Northern Ireland.
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McFadden, 54, a senior member of Sauradh, has gone into hiding with his family. In pre-trial hearings, it was discussed how over the course of 15 years, he gradually gained the trust of group members, rose through the ranks, became involved in rights campaigns for other arrested members, and It even organized tickets for foreign trips and football games for other members.