Mission to kill
In an amazing letter to the Telegraph, Michael Stone reveals his plan for murder at Stormont
By Lindy McDowell
29 November 2006
Stone’s letter reveals targets were Adams and McGuinness >>Click to read entire letter
KILLER Michael Stone predicted he would meet his death at Stormont in a chilling letter sent to the Belfast Telegraph just hours before he launched his abortive bomb attack.
Click here to read the letter in full
In the astonishing five-page letter, dated last Friday, Stone said his main targets during his attempt to storm a crucial meeting of the Assembly would be the Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
The Milltown murderer is now being held in solitary confinement at Maghaberry.
He is facing five attempted murder charges after his one-man offensive at Parliament Buildings, which ended with him being trapped in a revolving door and disarmed by two Stormont security staff.
In Stone’s letter to the Telegraph — penned in block capitals — he revealed how his deadly plan was supposed to unfold in order that there would be “no confusion as to the objective of my mission”.
Stone described himself as a “freelance dissident loyalist”.
He said that, by the time the Belfast Telegraph had received his letter, he would be in one of two positions.
“One, I will be in police custody with the events surrounding my arrest ensuring that I spend the rest of my natural life in prison. Two, that I am deceased . . . the latter in all probability.”
He wrote that he would carry a replica handgun to “bluff my way past two security guards stationed at a desk behind a walk-through metal detector”.
He also claimed he would carry one large “flash bang device”, seven nail bombs, three knives, an axe, a garrotte and a body armour vest.
The former UDA killer claimed that he would detonate the “flash bang device” in the Great Hall “to create panic and confusion as I move to my left and along the corridor towards the debating chamber and the two targets”.
He said that, if the two Sinn Fein leaders were not in the debating chamber, he would move to the party’s offices on the first floor of Stormont and would take “appropriate action to deter” security staff if they tried to disarm him.
The letter described in detail the location of the Sinn Fein office and claimed there was an “offensive tricolour” on the inside of the office window.
Also in the letter, Stone claimed he was taking action because he believed there would be a united Ireland within 20 years.
He also wrote: “Not a round, not an ounce, lose the golf balls.” This is believed to be a reference to the UDA “brigadier” Jackie McDonald, reported to have played golf with Martin McAleese, the husband of President Mary McAleese.
Stone concludes his letter by stating: “I’m outgunned but I wouldn’t have it any other way”, and signs the letter using his nickname ‘Flint’.
The loyalist killer has had his early-release license revoked by Secretary of State Peter Hain following Friday’s raid.
He was originally jailed in 1989 and told he must serve at least 30 years in jail for six UDA murders, including three at a republican funeral in Milltown Cemetery in 1988 — his first attempt to wipe out the Sinn Fein leadership.
However, Stone was re- leased on licence in 2000 under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
His former UDA colleagues, who once viewed Stone as a hero, have already distanced themselves from his actions of last week.
A UDA statement said: “The Ulster Defence Association had no prior knowledge of Stone’s intention and it is becoming increasing- ly clear that he acted alone.”
The paramilitary group said Stone had recently become “estranged” and branded him a “recluse”.
Police investigating Stone’s attempted bomb attack on the Assembly searched the home of a former girlfriend of the loyalist killer on Monday. Officers carried out a detailed examination of the property in Belfast’s Ballybeen estate. Psychiatrists are examining Stone while he is being held in Maghaberry Prison.
