Reporter
Reporter |
"Robin Webb's official role is Press Officer to the ALF, but rumour suggested
he carried much greater power. It was Graham's task to get close to Robin
Webb. His chance came at Bristol Crown Court where an ALF bomber was on trial.
Graham had already let it be known he would contact Webb and they came face
outside the court." |
| Friend of Graham Hall |
"Hey Robin. This is a friend of mine , Graham who used to........" |
| Robin Webb |
"Oh Yeah, I tried to phone you a couple of times." |
|
 Reporter
|
"Graham has a reputation as an animal rights campaigner..........At a
motorway services cafe Dispatches undercover reporter Graham
Hall lays out his cover story to the man at the heart of the Animal Liberation
Front.
He tells the ALF Press Officer that he wants to give the ALF some money.
Webb immediately suggests a way to launder the cash.
He wants to channel the money to fund even more violent animal liberation
groups who put lives at risk." |
| Robin Webb
|
"It can't go to the supporters group really because the supporters group
has to account for what happens to that money. Obviously it needs to be laundered
so it would need to go to other accounts.As ALF has to answer for where it
goes.If you just want it used for ALF type stuff or it could be used for
more radical stuff as well." |
| Graham Hall |
"You keep saying........." |
Reporter
|
"Robin Webb then suggested funding to ALF
splinter groups which have been prepared to bomb and maim people. |
| Graham Hall |
"I've got no hang ups." |
| Robin Webb |
"The only difference between ALF and the more radical ones is that
ALF basically take every precaution not to endanger life at any time. The
Animal Rights Militia Department are prepared to twist the arm of animal
abusers." |
| Graham Hall |
"I'm not bothered Robin" |
| Robin Webb |
" As far as I'm concerned if people are steered out of doing it or educated
out of doing it as long as they stop" |
RRReporterR
ReporterReporter |
"Webb suggested two groups which needed funding the first was the Animal
Rights Militia pledged to kill ten people if Barry Horne dies. Webb personally
faxed that list to the press.
The second group The Justice Department announced its arrival five years
ago with a campaign which took animal rights attacks to new extremes. It
was terror by first class delivery. Dozens of bombs were posted to those
who went fox hunting, worked in the fur trade or carried out experiments
on animals for scientific research.
The authorities worried about the spread of these terror tactics asked the
victims to keep quiet even today few will speak. One man would providing
he remained anonymous." |
 Man
|
"If one can imagine it being very quiet...half past eight in the morning,
I was making sure that everyone had breakfast. I retreived the stuff
from outside the door... this parcel, its not uncommon for me to receive
opera CDs cassettes. I didn't open it immediately but glanced over to see
everbody;s happy and then proceded to open the parcel It didn't take
long, I think I just opened the flap.... a flash and bang and then it blew
up in my face. My hands took most of the brunt they were very bloody and
black from the explosion I was taken to hospital with another member of my
family" |
| Reporter |
"Do you believe it could have killed you?" |
| Scientist |
"Undoubtedly" |
Reporter
|
"Graham Hall next discovered that the public face of the ALF has been
actively encouraging violent and distructive tactics. What you are about
to see is Robin Webb supplying our undercover reporter with an extremist
animal liberation magazine giving detailed instructions on bomb making. But
Webb cleverly tries to make sure that the bomb making instructions can't
be traced back to him .Before he passes the papers to our undercover reporter
he puts on gloves so his fingerprints can't be traced.
But our hidden camera catches him in the act of handing over the manual."
|
| Robin Webb |
"Its a load of rubbish in the magazine. That might interest you." |
| Graham Hall |
"Veeeery nice" GH in an aside "Robin Webb has just supplied me with a
bomb making manual, unbelievable i'n it" |
| Reporter |
"We showed the manual to our expert from the Institute of Explosive
Engineers." |
| Expert |
"The manual is an encouragement to attempt arson. Its got very simple
techniques to follow and I think that an unprincipled unsophisticated enthuiast
might well be tempted to try them out. Even if its in a very simple rudimentary
attack its the first step towards a course of action which cold be far more
serious and far more damaging." |
| Graham Hall |
"How serious could it be?" |
| Expert |
"As with any major fire which it could produce a major fire carries the
risk of death and injury to citizens, firefighters or anyone who may be in
the vicinity. |
Reporter
|
By handing the bomb instructions over to Graham, Robin Webb was
starting to drop the charade that he was simply the ALF Press Officer. Here
was the first compelling evidence that he's been directly involved in inciting
terrorism. The bomb instruction were contained in this magazine "Sarp" Support
Animal Rights Prisoners. It was the work of the hunger striker Barry Horne.
The fire bomber who's become the ALF's most celebrated militant, and SARP
reflects his philosophy.
Attacks on shops by animal rights extremists have caused £5m of damage.
Barry Horne firebombed high streets across Britain putting the public at
risk. On the Isle of Wight the fires were so severe the fire brigade
had to call in Back up from the main land. Barry Horne planted bombs there
and in Bristol.He hid the devises in cigarette packets.He targeted large
companies and charities. One woman found a bomb in a leather bag she'd bought
she'd already put it in her child's bedroom. The device in the bag didn't
explode. Last year a judge called Horne an urban terrorist who put communities
in fear, and sentenced him to eighteen years.
Dispatches has learned that Horne benefited from a series of Safe houses
organised by the ALF.If Graham was to understand more about the hard core,
he needed to know how the system worked." |
| Graham Hall |
"If I needed..like.. a safe house could I ring you and could you put
me up in....is there anybody in this area....that area?" |
| Robin Webb |
"Yeah I could." |
|
Reporter |
"True to his word Webb later took Graham to a local
safe house where he could lay low
Independently of Robin Webb, our undercover journalist had got to know
ALF sympathiser Cliff Patterson........."
|
