Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Interesting comments by the Former Australian Crime Intelligence Commander concerning Croatian fascists

"I am not denying the threat posed by Muslim fundamentalists; however, it is incumbent on governments not to lose track of the ideologies that caused the Holocaust and which still persist amongst groups within the extreme Right."
 
 
From The Emperor's Clothes Newsletter, 21 April 2008 :
 
 
Croatian Ustaše (clerical-fascists) in Australia?

Former Australian Crime Intelligence Commander Responds to TENC

I. Comment by Samantha Criscione and Jared Israel

II. Letter from Kerry L. Milte, former Commander of the Central Crime Intelligence Bureau of the Commonwealth, now Australian, Federal Police

[Apr. 21, 2008]

=============================================

I. Comment by Emperor's Clothes

A while ago we published the main part of a brief we had sent Australian Minister of Immigration Chris Evans, arguing that he should expel Croatian rock star Marko Perkovic 'Thompson,' then on a singing tour for clerical-fascism in Australia. [1]

Unfortunately, Evans chose not to expel Thompson. Indeed, he did not reply. However, when we sent the brief to the TENC Newsletter list, someone else did reply. That someone is Kerry L. Milte, former chief of crime intelligence of the Commonwealth Police and the security advisor to Australian Attorney General Lionel Murphy, accompanying him on his famous 1973 so-called 'raid' of the Australian secret service over the issue of Croatian fascist terror. [2]

Kerry Milte's letter is of great interest, as testimony about the history of fighting Croatian fascism by a crime intelligence expert who helped make that history; as a knowledgeable defense of Australian Attorney General Murphy, which we think Murphy deserves; and as an example to people in government of what it looks like to act in a principled fashion. Senator Evans, take note.

Kerry Milte's letter is reprinted below. He has also kindly provided the transcripts of Attorney General Murphy's March 15 and 16, 1973 meetings with officials of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) – the so-called 'raid' – which we have posted at http:/tenc.net/docs73.htm

As Mr. Milte writes below, the notes on the two meetings "were read by me into the transcript of the 1973 Senate Inquiry [into Milte's role in the meetings or, as the media put it, the 'raid'] against the protestations of the Liberals."

Footnotes and words in brackets have been added by Emperor's Clothes.

– Samantha Criscione and Jared Israel
Emperor's Clothes

=============================================

II. Letter from Kerry L. Milte, former Commander of the Central Crime Intelligence Bureau of the Commonwealth, now Australian, Federal Police

To Emperor's Clothes
,

I find your Newsletter very interesting, accurate and informative.

From 1967 to 1970 I was Commander of the Central Crime Intelligence Bureau of the Commonwealth, now Australian, Federal Police. In 1973 I was security adviser to Senator Lionel Murphy, Attorney-General under the newly elected ALP (Australian Labor party) government.

It is true that until 1972 the Croatian extremist groups received a significant measure of protection from Liberal Party governments. I believe that this was primarily due to the government's need for support from an extreme right wing Catholic party – the so-called Democratic Labor Party (DLP). The Liberals and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had the misguided belief that the Croats could help in the identification of communists in Australia, who in the 1960s were factionalized, ineffective and posed no threat to national security. (Australian communists are now anachronistic.)

The Croats could muster sufficient votes to help secure a few key Senate seats for the DLP upon whose numbers and preferences the Liberals depended for a majority.

As you note in your Newsletter, bombings were a regular occurrence, and appropriate counter-measures were not permitted. [3]

For example, I was personally responsible for the security of Yugoslav Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs Rolovic during his 1970 visit to Australia, so I can testify firsthand that the police received inadequate support to protect him and various Yugoslav diplomatic and trade premises.

Another example: Sergeant E.H. George arrested and interviewed Ustasha terrorist Josip Senic in 1965 and was forced to release him despite Senic admitting involvement in terrorist activity. I also interviewed Senic in Canberra, before he finally fled Australia. Despite his admissions, it was not possible to get approval for federal prosecutions of Senic or others until the ALP [Australian Labor Party] gained power.

On 15 and 16 March 1973 I accompanied Attorney General Murphy and the Commonwealth Police on Murphy's visits to ASIO, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, in Canberra and in Melbourne.

The visits (not the 'raid,' as the New York Times article that you posted called it [4]) were precipitated by the upcoming 20 March arrival of Yugoslav Prime Minister Djemal Bijedic in Australia. Attorney General Murphy had intelligence information relating to a planned attempt on Bijedic's life. That this intelligence was impeccable was demonstrated by the fact that police did seize explosives on Prime Minister Bijedic's planned route to Canberra. It was a desperate time, and Murphy had the courage to take an extreme but necessary step.

It must be pointed out that the situation was the subject of thorough discussions with police command and an intense analysis of files held by the police and the Attorney-General's Department. Police Commissioner Jack M. Davis personally directed police to enter the ASIO building in Melbourne following consultation with Murphy.

Prior to visiting Melbourne, Murphy went to the ASIO's Canberra Regional Office, where he asked for a particular file on Croatian activities and was misled by ASIO officers who told him it was in Melbourne. Contrary to later attacks on Murphy, in Melbourne he did not rummage through files himself. He asked for the file on the Croats, and he questioned ASIO officials about what they had done to protect Bijedic. It turned out that they had not even vetted the chefs and waiters at Parliament House, and this less than a week before the planned State Dinner for Bijedic.

All this was recorded. Later, I would face a Senate Inquiry – Liberal dominated – into the 'raid', but it fell apart when it was found that Murphy had caused full transcripts of all that occurred to be recorded at the time. These transcripts were read by me into the transcript of the 1973 Senate Inquiry against the protestations of the Liberals. [5]

Another salient point is that, just prior to Yugoslav Prime Minister Bijedic's arrival in Australia, Murphy was informed of a secret memo, wherein a key Inter-Departmental Committee of public servants (including ASIO) resolved that the ALP government was to be fed only information that would force it to follow the policies of the previous Liberal government in relation to the Croatians.

The existence of that minute was recorded by the Deputy Commissioner of the Commonwealth Police and the Assistant Regional Director of ASIO.

Senator Murphy's office was also receiving information from two ASIO officers, one of whom said he was appalled by these "treacherous" happenings. One of the officers had to be seconded [i.e., transferred] to Murphy's office for what he said was "my (his) own protection."

An ASIO officer subsequently told me that ASIO had scant knowledge of the Croatian groups but plenty on the ragtag communists, on homosexuals in the public service, and on suspected Eastern Bloc spies thought to be in Australia.

In 1954, they had actually managed to catch one spy – Colonel Vladimir Petrov. (He was said to be a psychological mess.) This became a cause célèbre, and the political fallout ensured the reelection of the Liberals for almost two decades.

Following the Murphy visit, ASIO was decimated by resignations and under Murphy was gradually rebuilt by Acting Director General Frank Mahony, and subsequently by Sir Edward Woodward (a federal judge) as Director General. Both were of impeccable repute.

Needless to say Murphy and I created powerful enemies amongst those who chose not to accept the truth. The 'old' ASIO professed to believe that Murphy was a Soviet spy, and that fallacy has endured in some quarters until this very day. Murphy was worn down and died in 1986.

The 1973 visits to ASIO might be regarded as extreme, but the consequences of Bijedic and perhaps even Prime Minister Whitlam being assassinated would have been worse than a few bruised egos in ASIO.

The last thing Murphy said to me before he died was: "History will ultimately judge the 'raid' as good." I feel the same, notwithstanding the subsequent vilification of those involved. It was part of a serious effort to prevent a catastrophe, not a publicity gesture. Indeed, it was an ASIO officer leaking details of Murphy's impending visit to a reporter at the Canberra Times on the morning of 16 March that caused what was meant to be a secret operation to enter the public arena.

Following the upheaval, and significantly greater police and ASIO attention, the Croatian extremists were literally flabbergasted. The flow of information from sources increased and more effective international co-operation followed.

The Croats then changed tack and targeted the ALP [Australian Labor Party] as their primary support base. An article in the December 1972 issue of Nova Hrvatska [New Croatia, a Ustasha publication] on the Australian situation, recommended the taking of a new approach, suggesting the idea of a Croatian radio station and the standing of Croats for elections.

They 'stacked' key ALP branches with Croats and donated money to the ALP. Gradually over the years they became a powerful lobby group and now even have members and sympathizers in parliaments (state and federal).

Hence, Immigration Minister Chris Evans' reluctance to do anything about Marko Perkovic's band "Thompson" or the Croatian fascists generally in Australia – they are now 'off the radar'.

At the moment Australia is engaged in the 'war on terror' – sic! Whilst so heavily occupied with investigating Muslims, the Ustasha expatriates remain active, assisting the corrupt Croatian government and aiding the spread of fascism. In this regard, it is interesting to note where the Albanian celebration for Kosovo's so called 'independence' was held – in Melbourne's Croatian Centre. [6]

I am not denying the threat posed by Muslim fundamentalists; however, it is incumbent on governments not to lose track of the ideologies that caused the Holocaust and which still persist amongst groups within the extreme Right.

The Croatian extremists still run church schools in Australia teaching hatred of the Serbs and the virtues of [Croatian Ustasha fuehrer] Pavelic and the Ustashe. The Australian Croatian Community Online presently describes the situation in Croatia (1941-1945) as follows:
"1941- The Croats liaise with the axis forces which occupied Yugoslavia as a means to independence. Under the direct leadership of Dr. Ante Pavelic (as well as that of Adolf Hitler), the first modern Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945) is proclaimed including the then province of Bosnia & Herzegovina. However, certain parts of the land become occupied by Italian fascist forces which in turn encourages many Croats to join the anti-fascist Yugoslav partisan militia led by Croat, Josip Broz (Tito)."

http://www.cronet.com.au/history.html
[Archived at http://tenc.net/a/cronet.htm ]
A parting thought: whereas the CIA's late Director of Counter Terrorism James Jesus Angleton was livid over the ASIO visits and the reversal in policy regarding Croatian terror, curiously, Murphy got strong support from MI5 [the UK security intelligence agency], whose Australian liaison officer described the expatriate Croatian Ustasha 'revolutionaries' (HRB, UHNj, HOP etc.) [7] as "thugs and murderers".

– Kerry L. Milte

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Footnotes and Further Reading

[1] See "Rescind Marko Perkovic Thompson's Visa, Senator Evans!" by Jared Israel, The Emperor's New Clothes, Jan. 1, 2008, at http://tenc.net/sen.htm

Concerning the Ustaša (clerical-fascist) Croatian rock star Marko Perkovic 'Thompson' Emperor's Clothes has published the following articles:

* "Lyrics of two songs cited in the appeal to Sen. Evans," Jan.1, 2008
http://tenc.net/sen.htm

* "Debate on Croatian Fascist Rock Star's Upcoming Australia Tour," Dec. 21, 2007
http://tenc.net/ajn.htm

* "Lyrics of 'E moj narode' – 'The Protocols of Zion' set to music – Translated into English," with comments by Jared Israel, posted Nov. 16, 2007, revised Dec.15, 2007
http://tenc.net/moj.htm

* "Bizarre Antisemitism from the Croatian Clerical-Fascist Lobby. A debate," Nov. 16, 2007
http://tenc.net/biz.htm

* "How the New York Times Doctored its Count of Croatia's W.W.II Victims," Part 2 of "Oppose Fascist Rock Star's US Tour with the Truth," by Jared Israel, Nov. 6, 2007
http://tenc.net/tour2.htm

* "Oppose Fascist Rock Star's US Tour with the Truth," Part 1, by Jared Israel, Nov. 3, 2007
http://tenc.net/tour.htm

* "'Slightly Fascist'? The New York Times Prods Croatia. Gently." by Jared Israel, Aug. 1, 2007
http://tenc.net/croatia/times1.htm

[2] See "Croatian Ustaše (clerical-fascists) in Australia? So what else is new?" by Jared Israel, The Emperor's New Clothes, Jan. 1, 2008, at http://tenc.net/sonew.htm

In addition to Jared Israel's remarks, this article contains an Associated Press dispatch on the 1973 'raid,' which the New York Times published on March 17, 1973, with the headline "Australian Police Raid Offices of the Nation's Secret Service," and excerpts from Richard West's book, Tito and the rise and fall of Yugoslavia, New York, 1995.

[3] See Richard West, Tito and the rise and fall of Yugoslavia, New York, Carroll & Graf, 1995 (Originally published: London, Sinclair-Stevenson, 1994), pp. 301-303, in "Croatian Ustaše (clerical-fascists) in Australia? So what else is new?" The Emperor's New Clothes, Jan. 1, 2008, at http://tenc.net/sonew.htm#b

[4] See "Australian Police Raid Offices of the Nation's Secret Service," by the Associated Press, published by The New York Times, March 17, 1973, p. 11, in "Croatian Ustaše (clerical-fascists) in Australia? So what else is new?" The Emperor's New Clothes, Jan. 1, 2008, at http://tenc.net/sonew.htm#scan

The transcribed text of the New York Times article can be read at http://tenc.net/raid.htm

[5] See "Notes of Meeting at A.S.I.O. Regional Directorate, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory," Thursday 15 March 1973, and "Notes of Meeting at A.S.I.O. Headquarters, Melbourne," Friday 16 March 1973, at http:/tenc.net/croatia/docs73.htm

[6] See "Melbourne greets Kosovo independence with protests, celebrations," ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Feb. 18, 2008, posted at http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/18/2166058.htm
Archived at http://www.tenc.net/a/celebrate.htm

[7] HRB – Hrvatsko Revolucionarno Bratstvo (Croatian Revolutionary Brotherhood)
UHNj – Ujedinjeni Hrvati Njemačke (United Croats of [West] Germany)
HOP – Hrvatski Oslobodilački Pokret (Croatian Liberation Movement).

After the end of WWII clerical-fascist fuehrer Ante Pavelić changed the name of the Ustaša terrorist organization to HOP.

On the Ustaše, see the articles "Croatia" and "Jasenovac" from the Encyclopedia of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem, 1990, in "The suppressed history of the Holocaust in Croatia," The Emperor's New Clothes, Jan. 1, 2007, at
http://emperors-clothes.com/croatia/encr.htm

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