> >STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.COM > >Sunday Herald (Scotland) >Publication Date: May 21 2000 >A Glasgow University law professor employed to brief the world's press >on the Lockerbie trial was one of Britain's most powerful MI6 officers. >Professor Andrew Fulton, who is deputy director of the university's >Lockerbie trial briefing unit, now faces being removed from his >prestigious job following an investigation by the Sunday Herald into his >spying past. >Fulton joined Glasgow University last year after officially retiring >from the Foreign Office. His last known position with MI6 was as its >head of station in Washington DC. When he moved to the university, after >stepping down from a 30-year career, he offered his services to the >briefing unit. >The university set up the unit to inform the world's press about >developments in the trial of the two Libyans accused of killing 270 >people when PanAm Flight 103 was blown up over Lockerbie in December >1988. >The revelations that Fulton, who was at one stage involved in an MI6 >plot to assassinate Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, was one of the >most high-ranking spies in the UK will seriously undermine claims by the >Lockerbie trial briefing unit that it has been giving independent and >impartial advice. It will also further erode public confidence in the >trial. >Last night, Fulton's boss, Professor John Grant, who is head of the >briefing unit, said if allegations that Fulton was an MI6 agent were >proved true he would have no option but to ask him to step down. Fulton >works as co-ordinator of the unit, controlling its day-to-day briefings. >His work with the unit, and as a visiting professor, is unpaid. >When the Sunday Herald con fronted him, Fulton said: "This is not >something I can either confirm or deny. I cannot give a yes or a no. >What I will say is I had an adventurous 30-year career in Her Majesty's >diplomatic service, and did a variety of things. But all government >servants are bound not to speak about any duties or tasks they may have >undertaken." >The defence team for the two accused Libyans are horrified by Fulton's >involvement in the briefing unit. A number of news organisations who >have been informed about Fulton's past have said unofficially that they >will no longer use the unit as a source of information. During the first >week of the Lockerbie trial at Camp Zeist in Holland, Fulton led a >lengthy briefing session for more than 50 foreign journalists at a hotel >near the courthouse, detailing aspects of Scottish law and explaining >the background to the case. >The Scottish Executive also gave the unit, including Fulton, >accreditation to enter the strictly-controlled media centre at Camp >Zeist. A Glasgow University spokesman said: "There was a limit to what >the Executive was able to do when they were at Zeist. I think they were >glad we were able to fill in for them and speak to the press when their >liaison people were too busy." At least one representative of the unit >will be at Camp Zeist throughout the trial. Grant will return to Holland >on Monday, when the trial recommences. >Until today, senior academics were delighted with the exposure the >unit's work had given the university. "We were in all the international >papers," a spokesman said. "You can't pay for that kind of coverage." >However, revelations about Fulton's past will destroy any PR gains. >The Scottish Executive said the Glasgow unit "did nothing for or with" >the Executive, claiming any accreditation given to the unit to attend >the trial was meant for organisations not individuals. A spokesman >refused to comment on Fulton's spying career, as did the Crown Office. >Roseanna Cunningham, the SNP's shadow justice minister, said: "There are >serious issues at stake here if a former member of the intelligence >service is being used as a talking head to explain the Lockerbie trial >to the world's press. If the unit is meant to be impartial, then it >should be open about its members' activities." >The US Department of Justice's Office of Victims of Crime said its >officials had met Fulton but were unaware of his background. The office >added that his previous career was not relevant to its work. > > >______________________________________________________________________ >To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >______________________________________________________________________ >Advertisement: >15% off Ashford Collection jewelry for Mother's Day! Mom will love >these gorgeous pieces handpicked by our expert jewelry buyers - now >15% off and shipped FedEx overnight FREE! Spoiled as a child? Return >the favor - get her gift at Ashford.com. >http://on.linkexchange.com/?ATID=27&AID=1231 > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
