Just before Christmas 2004, two men dressed as police officers arrive at a remote home and, after tricking their way inside the house they take the family hostage. Meanwhile at another house a second family is taken hostage. The reason for both movements was to gain control over two key employees of the Northern Bank in Belfast. The next day, while the families are still held, the employees are used to carry over £26,000,000 in cash out of the bank in broad daylight. This documentary looks at who did the robbery and how the failings of the British government contributed to the freedom of the robbers to act.
When this robbery happened the first thing I told my girlfriend was that it was a terrorist group that had done it. When it was publicly announced that it was Sinn Fein/IRA that was believed to have done it I was angry that this party that sits in Government was allowed to continue getting away with such acts (it was confirmed in Feb 05 that they had carried out other major robberies during 2004). I suggested to her that if the a robbery occurred in London that had been carried out by the Young Conservatives with the full knowledge of the Tory party, there would be chaos and the whole government would be ripped down. Her reply (as an Englishwoman) was that nobody cared as long as England is not being bombed and the media is silent it can be made "official" that NI is "at peace". And she was right. For years the Government has given way to Sinn Fein/IRA while the Unionists are portrayed as being an obstruction to the peace process for not budging.
And essentially that is what this film tells us as well that Sinn Fein/IRA carried out major robberies during 2004 to test the resolve and when, despite SDLP appeals for help, the Blair government took no action, they planned and carried out the biggest robbery ever in Northern Ireland. Even Tony Blair announced it was carried out by the IRA with the full knowledge of the Army Council but yet nothing really happened. The whole NI Assembly was taken apart (punishing all the parties) and it sat silent for months but nothing was actually done. This film paints the picture of a body outside the law really well, using experts and investigations to show the robbery happening and (less well known) what happened afterwards to the money. It is a damning film and one that is very well delivered.
Although the robbery is well known, the detail the film shows is shocking and the robbers sheer audacity is shown by the fact that they actually robbed it three times going back twice for more money. Given that this story dropped out of the media shortly after happening the rest of the film is fascinating for the leads that Toolis uncovers. He may lack proof but it is a very close run thing and I doubt if you ask anyone in Northern Ireland who they think did it you will get one answer even Sinn Fein supporters will tell you that it was them.
Overall this is a depressing but fascinating film that condemns the British Government as much as it does Sinn Fein/IRA. It is very interesting and well made but it is depressing to see how Northern Ireland has been floated down the river by successive British governments who have all been hoping they can make it all go away. For those that don't know, Sinn Fein are now back in power because they had yet another "historic announcement" and, despite not giving up any guns, the UK government accepted them on their word (the same Government who announced that Sinn Fein heads had been involved in the robbery). A challenging documentary what a shame that, like the beatings, murders and crime of terrorist groups in NI, it has simply been ignored by the Government and media in England.
When this robbery happened the first thing I told my girlfriend was that it was a terrorist group that had done it. When it was publicly announced that it was Sinn Fein/IRA that was believed to have done it I was angry that this party that sits in Government was allowed to continue getting away with such acts (it was confirmed in Feb 05 that they had carried out other major robberies during 2004). I suggested to her that if the a robbery occurred in London that had been carried out by the Young Conservatives with the full knowledge of the Tory party, there would be chaos and the whole government would be ripped down. Her reply (as an Englishwoman) was that nobody cared as long as England is not being bombed and the media is silent it can be made "official" that NI is "at peace". And she was right. For years the Government has given way to Sinn Fein/IRA while the Unionists are portrayed as being an obstruction to the peace process for not budging.
And essentially that is what this film tells us as well that Sinn Fein/IRA carried out major robberies during 2004 to test the resolve and when, despite SDLP appeals for help, the Blair government took no action, they planned and carried out the biggest robbery ever in Northern Ireland. Even Tony Blair announced it was carried out by the IRA with the full knowledge of the Army Council but yet nothing really happened. The whole NI Assembly was taken apart (punishing all the parties) and it sat silent for months but nothing was actually done. This film paints the picture of a body outside the law really well, using experts and investigations to show the robbery happening and (less well known) what happened afterwards to the money. It is a damning film and one that is very well delivered.
Although the robbery is well known, the detail the film shows is shocking and the robbers sheer audacity is shown by the fact that they actually robbed it three times going back twice for more money. Given that this story dropped out of the media shortly after happening the rest of the film is fascinating for the leads that Toolis uncovers. He may lack proof but it is a very close run thing and I doubt if you ask anyone in Northern Ireland who they think did it you will get one answer even Sinn Fein supporters will tell you that it was them.
Overall this is a depressing but fascinating film that condemns the British Government as much as it does Sinn Fein/IRA. It is very interesting and well made but it is depressing to see how Northern Ireland has been floated down the river by successive British governments who have all been hoping they can make it all go away. For those that don't know, Sinn Fein are now back in power because they had yet another "historic announcement" and, despite not giving up any guns, the UK government accepted them on their word (the same Government who announced that Sinn Fein heads had been involved in the robbery). A challenging documentary what a shame that, like the beatings, murders and crime of terrorist groups in NI, it has simply been ignored by the Government and media in England.
