Ian Geldard

Ian Geldard is a former conservative and Libertarian activist who, in the 1980s was active with the Institute for the Study of Terrorism.

According to Geldard's own LinkedIn page:

I left Durham University with a degree in Natural Science (Chemistry), but my first job was as Coordinator for the International Youth Coalition for Democracy (IYCD), based in Kingston, Jamaica in an attempt to promote liberal democratic values worldwide and counter the activities of the communist World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).

On my return to the UK I worked for a while at the Libertarian Alternative Bookshop in London with Chris Tame and Brian Micklethwait, where I met the author Jillian Becker, and became her researcher.

This led me to becoming a researcher for Institute for the Study of Terrorism (IST) in London, where I eventually became Head of Research and appeared on radio and TV as an 'expert'. This role ended when the Soviet Union collapsed and people - despite our advice to the contrary - thought terrorism would end.

After attempting a variety of alternative careers in publishing and market research I eventually returned to the sciences and trained as a chemistry teacher. My career remains in teaching though my interest in libertarian conservative politics, civil liberties and national security continues.

Geldard married Lucinda Shersby the daughter of Conservative MP Sir Michael Shersby. As Lucy Shersby she was a Conservative candidate for the constituency of Battersea in the 2001 General Election.

Education

• University of Durham 1980 — 1983
• Activities and Societies:Durham University Conservative Association (DUCA), Federation of Conservative Students (FCS)

Into Conservative politics

According to Geldard:

I became interested in politics at an early age and was chairman of Leeds Young Conservatives and a Vice Chairman of Yorkshire Area YCs. While at Durham University I was Vice Chairman of Durham University Conservative Association (DUCA) and was active in the Federation of Conservative Students (FCS).

I left Durham University with a degree in Natural Science (Chemistry), but my first job was as Coordinator for the International Youth Coalition for Democracy (IYCD), based in Kingston, Jamaica in an attempt to promote liberal democratic values worldwide and counter the activities of the Soviet-backed World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).

Institute for the Study of Terrorism

Geldard was with the Institute for the Study of Terrorism (founded in 1985) from at least 1986. He was last listed in the press with the Institute for the Study of Terrorism on 10 July 1991. The first reference to Geldard as editor of the ‘monthly newsletter’ Conflict International was on 15 July in the same year.

Conflict International

In November 1991 Geldard was quoted on the indictment of two Libyan citizens for the Lockerbie bombing of 1988. He played along with the thesis promoted by the US and UK governments that Libya was responsible:

"These men (the two Libyan intelligence agents indicted) may well have been involved in the planning and carrying out of the attack," said Ian Geldard, a British expert on terrorism.

"But it still leaves the question, 'Who is behind those names? Who sanctioned the operation?' "

He said Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi could have authorized the attack, but added, "There are no grounds for assuming that Libya was the only country involved."

Intel Information Bureau

In 1992 Geldard was reported as being ‘head of research’ with an organization called the Intel Information Bureau, described in the press as a ‘UK research consultancy specialising in risk analysis’ Its interventions in public debate attempted to suggest that the terrorist threat was on the rise in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet system.

Terrorism worldwide claimed more than twice the number of victims in 1991 as in the previous two years, with an increasing number of random attacks on civilians, according to a study published today. It warned that 1992 was likely to be even more violent with continuing national disintegration and competition between small states turning the "New World Order" into an "Old World Disorder". There were 11,055 deaths in 1991 compared with 4,681 in 1990 and 3,691 in 1989, according to the Chronology of Terrorism 1991, published by the Intel Information Bureau… Intel's head of research Ian Geldard said their study showed claims that terrorism was on the decline were wrong.

Libertarian Alliance

In 1994 Geldard maintained the Libertarian Alliance's ftp site: ftp: /ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/doc/ liberty/ (using the email address liberty@capital.demon.co.uk).

Teaching Career from 2002

• Chemistry Teacher Cobham Hall September 2007 — Present [January 2011] (3 years 5 months) Teaching chemistry at an independent girls' day and boarding school in Kent, England.
• Science Teacher Sittingbourne Community College Teaching KS3/4 science at a mixed comprehensive high school in Kent. September 2005 — September 2007 .
• Science Teacher The Howard School Taught KS3/4 science at a boy's comprehensive in Gillingham, Kent. September 2003 — September 2005.
• Trainee Teacher Sir John Cass Foundation and Red Coat School I did my teacher training at this mixed comprehensive school in East London. September 2002 — July 2003.

Affiliations

Libertarian Alliance |

Publications

• Penelope Tremayne and Ian Geldard, Tamil Terrorism: Nationalist or Marxist? (London: Institute for the Study of Terrorism, 1986).
• Geldard, Ian., and Craig, Keith. (1988), IRA, INLA Foreign Support and International Connections. London: Institute for the Study of Terrorism.