Martin Dillon: Intimate of terrorists

Martin Dillon, author of the riveting book "God and the Gun," speaks of terrorism as one may speak of a casual acquaintance - and with good reason. An author of international renown, Dillon carved his reputation as a reporter covering the Northern Irish conflict for more than 20 years. In that time, the native of Northern Ireland exhibited a propensity for unbiased journalism that would become his trademark.

A reporter with the BBC for more than 18 years, Dillon was "on the ground" in Belfast when shops were devastated by bombs. At times, he has had to cling desperately to the brick walls of houses and crawl on his belly to safety in the face of a hail of gunfire between British troops and IRA gunmen.

"I did features for the BBC, exclusives on Northern Ireland, the political strife and the terrorism and the killings," Dillon explained in an interview with this reporter. "I always felt that my job, my objective was to explain what was going on, to examine it, while not taking sides. There was too much reflex journalism - it didn't provide the coverage which was needed. I believe that I eventually gained the respect of many embroiled in the conflict because of the fact that I did not take sides."

Dillon also staked his reputation on a trait too often absent in today's journalism - a tireless and dogged determination to authenticate any sensitive information in his possession before going to print.

His professional determination that his stories be steeped in truth would ultimately lead, however, to his leaving the BBC. "We parted company because I had several run-ins with the BBC. I felt that there were certain influences at play there. There were people within who I felt had an agenda which was not unbiased ... so I left."

It was after his tenure at the BBC that Dillon would exhibit his true brilliance on the theme of Irish terrorism. Reflecting on his experiences through the years, he put them on the pages of his books in the form of historical and social examinations of the conflict.

There are seven such books in his bibliography to date, and the topics he has examined cast a brilliant light on the dubious nature and residual effects of a war spanning 30 years.

"The Dirty War" is a look at the surreptitious mechanism of the publicity war that has raged in Northern Ireland, where disinformation and spin have often been weapons as formidable as guns and bombs.

The Troubles have spawned some chilling assassins - individuals who have tortured and executed people in the most heinous ways. As a collector of the images and information surrounding such people, Dillon, in his career as reporter and author, has often found himself in the company of men with dark and sinister souls.

In two books, "Stone Cold" and "The Shankill Butchers," he depicts some of these people with wisdom and riveting clarity. Both books are concerned with loyalist assassins. "Stone Cold" is about Michael Stone and his rampage at Milltown. "The Shankill Butchers" deals with the notorious Lenny Murphy and his aptly named gang, who went on a murderous spree in which more than 20 Catholics were savagely tortured and killed.

The books are at present unavailable in the United States, but Dillon plans to release them here shortly. "For many people in the United States, they have primarily heard of only the IRA, in reference to the violence. In the Bush-Reagan years, things were restricted in the free flow of information, and there was not as balanced flow of information," Dillon said, indicating that his books would give Americans the opportunity to examine both sides of the conflict.

If the subject matter of his sensational works has been often gruesome, then the reaction to some of his writing has on occasion put him at great risk. Dillon recalls, for instance, a time when he was engaged in conversation with a contact on the Shankill Road and a particularly unsavory character stuffed a pistol in his mouth.

For a period after the release of "The Shankill Butchers," Dillon and his family moved to France due to security concerns. "I was tipped by a decent guy in the U.V.F. that ... if I stayed in Northern Ireland ... there were people who were threatening to slit my throat. These are very dangerous people, and my books tried to explore ... their feelings. Was there indignation or condemnation when they killed? What were their ideals? Did they feel justified?"

In the past, one aspect of the turbulent conflict in Northern Ireland - the role of religion - has never been adequately examined by any writer. That has changed with the publication of Dillon's latest book, "God and the Gun," which is as introspective as it is harrowing.

One chapter recounts vividly the experiences of a Catholic priest who was summoned by the IRA in the middle of the night to perform the sacrament of last rites prior to an execution, and the resultant equivocation felt by that priest: Should he have intervened - even though it would have been sure to cost him his life?

In another chapter, Dillon calls on past interviews with slain loyalist killer Billy Wright. Dillon delves into the psyche of the self-proclaimed preacher, eliciting an apparent moral rationalization for his actions, which have included several killings.

In the opinion of this writer, "God and the Gun" is Dillon's finest work to date and is a must read for any who has even a casual interest in Northern Ireland.

When queried as to his feelings on the present prospect for peace, Dillon declares, "In the history of Ireland ... it is dangerous to make predictions." He does offer, however, astute assessments of the difficulties facing the quest for peace, specifically in regard to some of the recognizable figures and their respective tasks of embracing the settlement sure to be solidified by mid-April.

Saying that Gerry Adams will have a voice in the potential brokering of acceptance or denial within the republican movement, he also observes that Adams will only be one voice. "They [Adams and McGuinness] have been very prominent in furthering the peace process. And they are trusted by the organization ... but eventually it will come down to a vote. The IRA will inevitably call a convention and vote on whether or not they will accept the settlement."

Dillon points to a recent statement made by Adams in which the Sinn Fein president said, "We are looking for the halfway house." According to Dillon, Adams is presumably speaking of a negotiated settlement as being symbolic of reaching the halfway point in progress to the longtime republican goal of a united Ireland. "'What will the republicans gain from the settlement?' is the question. But ... you can be sure that the public statements are not what is being said in private."

In David Trimble, Dillon sees a figure who is faced with opening a Pandora's box, due to the broad complexities of unionism. "It is the nature of unionism - there are so many different strands of unionism. When Trimble stood with Billy Wright [at Drumcree], it was a vehicle for mobilizing the voice of unionism. But yet he has to watch his back. You have to realize that he has a lot of strands to straddle."

Asked if the symbolism of a ritual handshake with Gerry Adams on Trimble's recent stateside visit would have caused irreparable damage to his stature within unionism, Dillon replied, "I would have to say that, yes, if he shook Adams' hand he would be in trouble."

Indeed, Dillon views the periphery of any settlement as being mined with difficulties. "Progress is difficult because the historical memory is very real - so it is difficult to move forward."

Indicating that the question of ascertaining sole responsibility in the conflict is difficult because of its complex nature, Dillon points to "the successive British governments since 1921. They have in the past been guilty of the politics of expediency, an unnatural fear of Ireland." Yet he notes that "Tony Blair has provided an extra dynamic, and the Clinton administration has encouraged the IRA to come in from the cold."

Martin Dillon is at present formulating the material for a book on global terrorism, and is traveling in the United States, giving lectures in support of "God and the Gun." "My plans are to live and write in the United States, and perhaps take up a fellowship at a university."

"God and the Gun: The Church and Irish Terrorism" is published by Routledge Press and is available in select bookstores. The price is $25.