US sent guns and spy gear to discredited Northern Irish police despite ban

Reagan White House turned blind eye despite the banning order

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File photo dated 09/06/84 of former American President Ronald Reagan and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at Buckingham Palace.

Photo by PA

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The recently released files now show that the force was continuing to receive the U.S. made weapons despite the ban.

The memo to the secretary of state said, “In fact, despite the ban the RUC have continued to receive small supplies of Rugers from the UK agents with whom the contract was placed, and now await delivery of only 735 of these weapons.

“However, we have carefully avoided publishing information about arms supply in any detail because we are conscious that if it became known that the RUC is receiving arms and ammunition from the US including Rugers [underlined], despite the ban, attempts might be made in Congress to stop these supplies which the Reagan Administration might not be willing or able to counter.”

Another confidential document from March 1981 reveals that during the financial year, the RUC had received from the US — all via UK suppliers – 2,235 Ruger revolvers, 130 Smith and Weston pistols, and more than 1.3 million rounds of various ammunition.

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