Philip Campbell Smith
Philip Campbell Smith is a former member of the British Army's Force Research Unit (FRU) who served under Gordon Kerr in Northern Ireland.[1]
Fishers of Men
Smith wrote a book on the FRU's activities in Northern Ireland, Fishers of Men under the pseudonym Rob Lewis.[2]
The book was published in September 1999. Smith/Lewis states on its Amazon product page:
- For the record, Fishers Of Men was due to be published in August. The Ministry Of Defence saw fit to threaten injunction over certain content which had to be removed prior to launch. Hence the delay.[3]
Ingram Testimony
In May 2000, The Observer's Henry McDonald reported that Smith had been questioned by RUC and Metropolitan Police officers about leaks by Martin Ingram about the top FRU agent in the IRA codenamed 'Steak Knife'"
- It is understood that several fellow FRU members who worked with Ingrams in Northern Ireland have agreed to testify against him. A number of FRU soldiers have been questioned about Ingrams including the author Rob Lewis (not his real name).[4]
Arrest
In November 2000, Smith was arrested by detectives working on Sir John Stevens' inquiry into collusion in Northern Ireland. According to the Sunday Herald, he was accused of intimidating witnesses:
- Smith, a 41-year-old security consultant from Northamptonshire allegedly intimidated a former military intelligence agent, who uses the cover name Martin Ingram.
- Ingram has voluntarily co-operated with the Stevens inquiry by giving a detailed statement about the covert activities of the FRU in Ulster. Smith allegedly threatened Ingram by sending e-mails revealing his address. This could have led to republicans trying to kill Ingram.[5]
The Press Association reported that Smith was due to appear at Northampton Magistrates Court on 8 December 2000:
- A spokeswoman for the Stevens Inquiry said: "He is charged under Section 51 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 with intimidation of witnesses on September 30 in London and other places."
- She added that the charge related to the sending of an e-mail about a former soldier to a national Sunday newspaper.[6]
Elite Maritime Protection Services
Smith is currently Operations Director (Land Based Services) for Elite Maritime Protection Services, according to the company's website, which carries the following short profile:
- Phil built up his unique knowledge and experience of security issues during the latter part of his military career. He served in two specialist intelligence units that operated in covert surveillance and human source-handling roles in a hostile environment.
- This hands on experience in surveillance, investigations and close protection has enabled him to successfully handle scores of high risk and high profile security operations worldwide.[7]
Notes
- ↑ Neil Mackay, The Scot behind Ulster's dirty war; Elite unit passed intelligence to UDA death squads, The Sunday Herald, 19 November 2000.
- ↑ Neil Mackay, The Scot behind Ulster's dirty war; Elite unit passed intelligence to UDA death squads, The Sunday Herald, 19 November 2000.
- ↑ Fishers of Men, Amazon.co.uk, accessed 22 November 2009.
- ↑ Henry McDonald, Police in hunt for British agent, The Observer, 21 May 2000.
- ↑ Neil Mackay, The Scot behind Ulster's dirty war; Elite unit passed intelligence to UDA death squads, The Sunday Herald, 19 November 2000.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, MAN TO FACE COURT ON WITNESS INTIMIDATION CHARGE, Press Association, 19 November 2000.
- ↑ Who We Are, Elite Maritime Protection Services, accessed 22 November 2009.
