How Credible Is The Theory Involving The IRA?

[Holly Goodhead]

At BG's second trial his defence went through thousands of docs and found a letter from a Wayne Aird who claims to have been a member of the real IRA and part of a 4 man squad who assassinated Jill as a result of her work on Crimewatch:

There were also claims today that an IRA hit squad killed Jill, again amid fears that her Crimewatch show, watched by up to 10million each week, would expose its members.

Wayne Aird wrote a letter from prison, where he was serving life for killing a man months after the presenter's death, because he said he knew Barry George was not the killer.

He said the IRA shot Miss Dando on her doorstep, fleeing in a Land Rover to a London safe house, but claimed they were not prosecuted in order to protect the Northern Ireland peace process.

Aird said that he was told by a senior IRA boss in a target meeting that Miss Dando would be targeted.

He wrote: 'Being a member of the Real IRA the one thing I expect to gain from my confession is a bullet. Informers don't last very long. I'm prepared to go Queen's evidence on this statement.'

Leeds solicitor Stuart Page, who met and spoke to Aird, wrote at the time: 'It is quite possible the contents of his statement are pure make-believe. However, that is not a view that I formed during my short meeting with Mr Aird.'

It was reported that police knew about the letter but did not investigate further.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3017544/How-police-failed-trace-100-suspects-Jill-Dando-murder-questioned-Cliff-Richard-Jeremy-Paxman-life.html

[Holly Goodhead]

At the time of Jill's murder the NI peace process and ceasefire (Provisional IRA) had been in place for around a couple of years but dissident groups eg the Real IRA continued to carry out violent acts eg Omagh in Aug 1998. 

Is it really credible that the Real IRA would launch an audacious attack on a UK based tv presenter for presenting crimewatch? 

I would have thought Garda, UK intelligence agencies, RUC and others such as FBI would have a very good idea if not detailed profiles about the main players in Real IRA and other splinter groups. 

[Holly Goodhead]

The above article/Wayne Aird said the Real IRA murdered Jill to prevent her identifying them on Crimewatch and yet she was merely the presenter who would simply be replaced by a.n other who turned out to be Fiona Bruce. 

[Holly Goodhead]

If the Real IRA wanted to make a political point then why not claim responsibility otherwise surely there's no political point to be made?

[Holly Goodhead]

At the time of Wayne Aird writing he was serving a life sentence at Wakefield for murdering Timothy Pincott on 23rd June 1999:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/jan/18/geoffreygibbs

[Holly Goodhead]

Jill was murdered on 26th April which coincides with the anniversary period of the 1916 Easter Rising.  Was this a coincidence or part of an audacious plan?

On 24th April 1996 the Provisional IRA planted 2 bombs underneath Hammersmith Bridge this also coincided with the anniversary period of the 1916 Easter Rising.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Hammersmith_Bridge_bombing

The distance between Gowan Avenue and Hammersmith Bridge is 1.7 miles.

[Nicholas]

You sound like mike Tesco

[Holly Goodhead]

IRA modus operandi on the mainland has in recent years centered around bombs with coded telephone warnings or claims of responsibility afterwards.

If the IRA murdered Jill this would be a change in modus operandi.  Why the change if the IRA was responsible?

[Holly Goodhead]

You sound like mike Tesco

A lot of what Mike Tesco claims is not even remotely possible let alone plausible.  What is not possible or plausible about the IRA murdering Jill? 

[Nicholas]

A lot of what Mike Tesco claims is not even remotely possible let alone plausible.  What is not possible or plausible about the IRA murdering Jill?

Neither are yours!

You’ll need to figure that out for yourself, though I won’t hold my breath as it seems like Holly’s way or the highway.

You don’t appear remotely interested in reason, logic or facts.

[Holly Goodhead]

Neither are yours!

You’ll need to figure that out for yourself, though I won’t hold my breath as it seems like Holly’s way or the highway.

You don’t appear remotely interested in reason, logic or facts.

What is not possible or plausible about the IRA murdering Jill?

[Holly Goodhead]

Reasons supporting IRA murdering Jill:

- In the eyes of an extreme Irish republican Jill would be considered part of the British Establishment working for the BBC, supporting and working alongside British police officers on Crimewatch everything extreme republicans despise.

- Would have the covert surveillance capability which it appears Jill must have been under given she no longer lived at Gowan Avenue

- Would have the ballistics capability in terms of procuring firearms and ammo along with the capability to modify cartridges.

- Would have the knowledge about firearm discharge sounds and backspatter and how to minimise ie reduce propellant from cartridge

- Would have the organisational capability in terms of getaway driver, lookouts with distraction techniques if anyone entered zone when Jill arrived and perp carried out murder.

- Confession of sorts from Wayne Aird whose solicitor said:

Leeds solicitor Stuart Page, who met and spoke to Aird, wrote at the time: 'It is quite possible the contents of his statement are pure make-believe. However, that is not a view that I formed during my short meeting with Mr Aird.'

Reasons why not IRA:

- Did not claim responsibility so no political point to be made

- Change in MO

- Murdering Jill would not prevent Crimewatch continuing or change the format in any shape or form 

[Holly Goodhead]

ETA above

- This might explain why intelligence was non-existent.  A Real IRA cell would be self-sufficient from beginning to end.

[Holly Goodhead]

Wayne Aird who made the revelations was at the time serving a life sentence for murdering a man called Timothy Pincott on 23rd June 1999 which was less than 2 months after Jill was murdered.

Apparently the pair shared a flat together and were Big Issue sellers.  It was claimed at trial that Timothy Pincott had acquired substantial savings through selling the Big Issue and this was Aird's motive for killing him.  However a spokesperson for the Big Issue said:

A spokeswoman for the Big Issue Cymru has revealed how Mr Pincott managed to save a small fortune by selling the magazine.

Director Sue West said he did not drink or smoke and lived on a diet of free soup.

"Tim would be out selling from 8am to 8pm every day and would buy 100 copies at a time to sell," said Mrs West.

She said she was "amazed" by the amount the murder victim had saved in two years but said it was quite possible.

"If anybody was making money like that we would take their vendor badge because there are more worthy people who needed it," Mrs West added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/607212.stm

Hmmm a Big Issue seller who acquired substantial savings through dint of hard work.  Possible but does not seem entirely plausible imo.

Another article states Timothy Pincott did not drink or smoke and yet he was murdered by Aird when the pair were drinking on the beach according to the following article.  I guess it must have been non-alcoholic. Anything is possible I guess maybe they took a flask of herbal tea.

The court heard that on the night of June 23 last year the two men went for a drink on a beach at Rhoose, near Cardiff, where Aird battered Mr Pincott over the head with a rock before dragging his body into nearby salt marshes.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/jan/18/geoffreygibbs

[Holly Goodhead]

Something about the murder of Timothy Pincott does not seem right imo.   

There's nothing about Aird belonging to any terrorist organisation or any previous convictions. 

Did the substantial savings come from selling the Big Issue?

Did Aird receive some financial compensation for any part he may have had in Jill's murder and this was deposited in Timothy Pincott's name to circumvent a paper trail?

If Aird had some involvement did he fess up to Timothy Pincott, under the influence of whatever they were drinking on the beach, who threatened to blow the whistle?

The whole thing does not add up imo.