WALTER MITTY TO SOME BUT AN A1 INFORMATION SOURCE TO OTHERS
Walter Mitty to some - but an A1 information source to others
KEVIN Fulton was branded an "intelligence nuisance" by former Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan but the British spy was actually graded Al for the level of information he was supplying before the Omagh bombing.
The ex-RUC boss and agent clashed over the Omagh bomb investigation, after Fulton's revelation that he had given a warning to his police handler days before the blast that a bombmaker he named was making a device.
The warning claim led to the Police Ombudsman's investigation into the police inquiry - which uncovered other warnings from elsewhere.
Before the Ombudsman's report, Sir Ronnie had denied any warnings pointing to Omagh.
He also publicly slammed Fulton as a "Walter Mitty" character who had ceased to be an effective informer.
Sir Ronnie said: "Kevin Fulton had been written off by every branch of the police authority because he was an unreliable source.
"The information he supplied on Omagh could have fitted in with a range of republican activities."
But Nuala O'Loan found that RUC handlers actually graded Fulton Al for his intelligence information at the time of Omagh.
The respected QC Michael Mansfield - who has studied the case - said information received "from a highly regarded undercover source" (Fulton) combined with other warnings should have been enough to have security personnel in Omagh placed on high alert.
Fulton said: "Sir Ronnie called me a Walter Mitty to cover up his own shortcomings.
"We see the exact same thing now with the Government again and Dr David Kelly. I think the Government and Sir Ronnie must have used the same advisor.
"The first thing you do when someone speaks out about you is go for their credibility." He continued: "At the time of Omagh, I was not only graded Al but I had been given PI status - which is Participating Informant Status (as noted by the Ombudsman).
"Now PI status has to come from the chief constable or the deputy chief constable - it allows you legally to become involved in crime in order to gather specific information -and there are not too many people get that.
"If Sir Ronnie did not lie when he said I was an intelligence nuisance, he was being misled by others or he just didn't know what was going on."
Sir Ronnie may have believed he had reason to discredit Fulton, as the informer has admitted he fed false information to his handlers on a number of occasions over the years - which will have not instilled confidence in him among the intelligence community.
Fulton, for his part, has claimed that on each of three occasions he offered incorrect information, it was because he felt his handlers were putting his life in danger.
He said he gave them red herrings when he was either trying to dissuade them from leaving him in a dangerous situation or trying to establish if they were prepared to "drop me in it".
Sir Ronnie was invited to comment but declined the offer.
KEVIN Fulton was branded an "intelligence nuisance" by former Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan but the British spy was actually graded Al for the level of information he was supplying before the Omagh bombing.
The ex-RUC boss and agent clashed over the Omagh bomb investigation, after Fulton's revelation that he had given a warning to his police handler days before the blast that a bombmaker he named was making a device.
The warning claim led to the Police Ombudsman's investigation into the police inquiry - which uncovered other warnings from elsewhere.
Before the Ombudsman's report, Sir Ronnie had denied any warnings pointing to Omagh.
He also publicly slammed Fulton as a "Walter Mitty" character who had ceased to be an effective informer.
Sir Ronnie said: "Kevin Fulton had been written off by every branch of the police authority because he was an unreliable source.
"The information he supplied on Omagh could have fitted in with a range of republican activities."
But Nuala O'Loan found that RUC handlers actually graded Fulton Al for his intelligence information at the time of Omagh.
The respected QC Michael Mansfield - who has studied the case - said information received "from a highly regarded undercover source" (Fulton) combined with other warnings should have been enough to have security personnel in Omagh placed on high alert.
Fulton said: "Sir Ronnie called me a Walter Mitty to cover up his own shortcomings.
"We see the exact same thing now with the Government again and Dr David Kelly. I think the Government and Sir Ronnie must have used the same advisor.
"The first thing you do when someone speaks out about you is go for their credibility." He continued: "At the time of Omagh, I was not only graded Al but I had been given PI status - which is Participating Informant Status (as noted by the Ombudsman).
"Now PI status has to come from the chief constable or the deputy chief constable - it allows you legally to become involved in crime in order to gather specific information -and there are not too many people get that.
"If Sir Ronnie did not lie when he said I was an intelligence nuisance, he was being misled by others or he just didn't know what was going on."
Sir Ronnie may have believed he had reason to discredit Fulton, as the informer has admitted he fed false information to his handlers on a number of occasions over the years - which will have not instilled confidence in him among the intelligence community.
Fulton, for his part, has claimed that on each of three occasions he offered incorrect information, it was because he felt his handlers were putting his life in danger.
He said he gave them red herrings when he was either trying to dissuade them from leaving him in a dangerous situation or trying to establish if they were prepared to "drop me in it".
Sir Ronnie was invited to comment but declined the offer.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/490
Published Date: 05-Sep-03
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