BRETON ANGER AT 'TERROR PLOT' NONSENSE
An innocent contact made at an inter-celtic cultural festival could have led to the confusion surrounding the arrest of several people in Brittany and to allegations of 'terror links' between Irish and Breton nationalists.
All six people have now been released although three may face further questioning. However there is considerable anger about the episode in Brittany and there have been nightly demonstrations in Guingamp where some of those detained come from. They include Armelle Personnic, 53, a Town councillor who has no connection with the militant Breton group the ARB.
Indeed the only 'links' Personnic has forged between Brittany and Ireland are cultural links. She organises the festival de la Saint-Loup, a century-old celebration of Celtic culture which features traditional musicians and singers, including guests from Ireland. She also took over the role of president in a twinning group involving civic authorities in Guingamp and Shannon in Ireland, taking over the role from her husband who died in a car crash last January.
It is likely that someone whom the intelligence services were watching may have attended the festival in Brittany and because of this they have put 'two and two together' and in their inimical style made 'six'.
What the episode does, worryingly, confirm is that inter-celtic gatherings/festival are a source of scrutiny for the so-called intelligence services and every innocent connection is watched.
The cultural links between the Celtic Nations are rich and varied groups from all six Celtic countries congregate in Brittany for festivals such as the Lorient festival which can attract 500,000 people. At the other end of the scale small festivals such as Yn Chruinnaght in Mannin and Lowendar Peran in Cornwall involve a few hundred participants but also invariably have a presence from most Celtic countries.
It is clear however that the French and British intelligence services scrutinise these gatherings and sometimes their flawed intelligence can lead to the distress that was caused by Armelle Personnic being thrown into prison for several days and having her house ransacked just months after the loss of her husband and whilst she was still in mourning.
Bernard Moffatt
Secretary General
09/11/03
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries of the western British Isles and Brittany. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It targets human rights abuse and monitors all military activity within these areas
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