Remember Remember (31 page)

“That seems OK to me and again the evidence, if it is such, is circumstantial. I can see no reason why they may hold you any longer Mr Johnson. I suggest we meet with them immediately.”

A second chair was proffered and Mr Gould and Johnson now sat at one side of the table opposite Rock and Lawrence in interview room one.

Mr Gould began proceedings, “Major, I have spoken with my client who denies all charges of the murder of an unknown person in Turkey and of any involvement with meeting the murdered person’s colleagues in either Turkey or Rhodes. Therefore I must ask you to release him immediately on the grounds that you have no substantial evidence of his guilt.”

The Major looked at Gould, “It’s not quite as simple as that sir. You see we believe Mr Johnson is involved in terrorist activities in the UK and under the new anti-terrorism legislation we have the right to hold him indefinitely.”

“You have not arrested Mr Johnson for those reasons and have offered no evidence, circumstantial or other wise to support your claim,” asserted Gould.

“If your client has done nothing wrong why does he feel the need to keep disappearing and avoiding surveillance?” snapped Rock.

“May I answer that,” interrupted Alan; “I have ‘disappeared’ as you say on only three occasions in the past 8 or 9 months. Some of you may call it holiday breaks. I went to York in June to go racing at the York meeting and I went again in December. The third occasion was on the 20
th
of January, just a few days ago to go walking, yomping, and camping. I enjoy being self sufficient and living off the land. It’s what I was trained to do and it’s what I need to do sometimes. I enjoy my own company and counsel. I also do not like being followed and will always ensure I am left alone to do as a free man wishes in the UK. Therefore I will actively avoid surveillance.”

Mr Gould looked at him and then at the Major, “are you telling me you had Mr Johnson under surveillance?”

“Yes sir,” nodded Lawrence.

“They have placed trackers in my car, tapped my phone, fax and email and have wired up my house. They also have a surveillance team watching my house and my movements twenty four seven.”

“Is this true?” enquired Mr Gould.

“Yes sir it is. I believe Alan Johnson may be planning a terrorist attack on this country aided by the people he met in Turkey and Rhodes,” declared Rock.

“This is incredible, that you should go to these lengths to obtain evidence,” scolded Gould, who then continued, “however, since you have gone to these lengths what evidence have you now obtained against my client?”

“That is privileged information.”

“Rubbish. If you had any evidence at all you would have arrested my client on that evidence, not on something which may have happened in Turkey two years ago. Therefore I must insist you either let my client go immediately or offer some evidential reasons for his further detention.”

The room went silent for 5 or 6 seconds broken by Mr Gould who got to his feet. “Please return all personal belongings to Mr Johnson and sign the release documentation, my client will leave with me.”

Rock and Lawrence watched from their first floor office as the grey Jaguar pulled out of the police station car park.

“Got himself a damn good solicitor,” said Lawrence.

“Yes he did, and I suppose we had little to go on,” added Rock.

“Still it will have left Johnson in no doubt that we know.”

“Know what Sergeant?”

“That he’s up to something.”

“I was always so sure, but now I’m beginning to doubt it myself,” he wondered.

“Well, whatever we believe now sir we only have a couple of months to act,” replied Lawrence.

“Yes Sergeant, the phrase April Fool’s day, the day when I go back to my official duties may well prove how foolish we all are.”

Alan Johnson sat in the front seat of the Jaguar, locked his seat belt and leaned back into the luxurious leather seat.

“Nice car Mr Gould and thanks for your work in there. I knew they had nothing but circumstantial evidence but I don’t have your legal skills.”

“That’s my job and what you pay for Alan, now, where should I send my bill?” asserted Mr. Gould.

“To the bloody Major,” he growled then continued, “no, seriously, to 78 Sandiway; I’ll pay by return.”

“Thanks, now, where can I drop you off?”

“Just around the corner here, next to the Brown Cow, I think I’ll have a few pints before I go home.”

The Jaguar came to rest outside a small office computer shop and he shook hands with Mr Gould, exited the car and climbed the steps to the Brown Cow.

“Well, well, well. Look what the cat’s dragged in,” said Jacky, shaking her head, “your lamb chops are a little overdone Mr Johnson, so you’ll have to buy some more, that’s if you’re planning on staying this time.”

He walked into the snug which was empty, pulled up and sat on a bar stool, smiled at her, stretched out his hand to grasp hers and said, “I think I’ll stay this time love, please pull me a pint of bitter and get one for yourself.”

She pulled her hand away and turned to pull the beer.

“You’re a dark one Johnson, a bloody dark one.”

February 3
rd
, Fethiya District, Turkey.

Onar Ibsick sat behind his desk and pondered the contracts which had arrived from the UK. The amounts ordered were twice those he had discussed in Rhodes in November and although he knew he could supply them he was concerned the WMD would run out from the one container submerged off shore in Olu Deniz.

He was running a bona fide business in Turkey and therefore used all communication techniques as a matter of course, all except those involving Mr Johnson which would always go via the Evening Standard and Manchester Evening News route. He picked up the phone and dialled Shan.

“I have just received orders from the UK for double the amount of fireworks we initially agreed to make. I can manufacture them but I will need more of our extra additives sir, I need a second container.”

Shan listened and responded, “OK, I’ll see what I can do; leave the container issue with me, I will respond within 24 hours.”

“Thank you, we’ll continue here as before. We now have over a hundred cylinders available to work with, so production will continue as normal for quite a while,” he replied.

“Good Onar, good; now, do you know the companies in the UK to send the orders to?” added Shan.

“I have their names and addresses and I will deliver it as agreed on a monthly basis, but just twice the volume.” He pondered for a moment then continued; “though I will need extra money to cover purchases and payroll.”

“I’ll get that to you immediately and come back to you about the container issue, goodbye Onar and thanks for the call.”

Shan put the telephone down, tapped into his computer and within 5 minutes monies had been transferred from Switzerland to the KOL bank in Turkey. His second task was slightly more complex, he needed to contact the people who could find him a second container. Amdarni was the first choice, followed by Hussein bin Hussein.

Captain Amdarni was very open about his understanding of the containers when he recognised Shan’s voice. He had sailed regularly into Bandar-e-Khomeyni to trade and he had taken three containers from Iraq which were now buried at sea. He had sailed out into the gulf through the Straits of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and into the Indian Ocean. He would check with Hussein bin Hussein but was sure that as he had already delivered one container he could deliver a second and he would ring back as soon as possible.

Two hours later it was confirmed that Amdarni would raise a second container, sail it to within 12 miles off the Turkish coast and make it available for Onar.

Onar had already started delivery of fireworks into the United Kingdom and with access to a second container there was no reason to believe he would not fulfil the total orders now in place, to be delivered between February and August.

Amdarni set sail from Valletta, Malta on the evening high tide with two containers on deck. His intention was to sail towards Gozo and when twenty nautical miles south of the island, raise the second of the three containers he had distributed in the Mediterranean Sea. It would be dark when he arrived at the location, giving him cover to raise the 40 foot container but what he was not aware of was the British Canberra flying a reconnaissance sortie 30,000 feet above him. The British had been using their Canberra jets on reconnaissance flights over the Mediterranean Sea and Iraq since the first Gulf War and although soon to be scrapped, they were still a valuable aid to both British and American forces in the Gulf.

He arrived at his location and within two hours he had three containers on his foredeck, after which he set sail for the Turkish coast.

The Canberra reconnaissance plane continued its flight towards Iraq then turned back, flying over Turkey, then the Mediterranean Sea towards Malta. It’s cameras continually recording images which were electronically sent to stations off Malta and in the UK.

Flight Captain Walshaw received a request from H.Q. Could he retrace his flight path back toward the Turkish coast; his objective to locate and film a small steam ship named SS Afyon which he had flown over earlier. The Captain had just enough fuel for the return flight and readily agreed, informing his reconnaissance Sergeant of the task. If the ship had not veered off course they had every chance of locating it and taking more pictures.

Canberras were essential for the constant reconnaissance over the Mediterranean and Iraq as they were a support tool for the satellites which could only capture images when in orbit. However the Canberras’ limitations were age and refuelling requirements and because of this Walshaw had eventually to land in Kuwait before he located the SS Afyon. It took eight hours before a second Canberra was made available which was to fly the same route as Walshaw with orders to locate the SS Afyon.

The information from these two flights was now being discussed by Captain Jowett and the Head of Naval Intelligence Mediterranean, Captain Cunningham. The pictures were unmistakeable in their interpretation. The SS Afyon had left Malta with two containers on her foredeck. Some time later, while still at sea she had three containers on her foredeck, as she steamed towards the Turkish coast. Then hours later she had returned to just two containers on her foredeck without apparently docking in any port.

Cunningham now had the full attention of Jowett and said to him, “I have heard of ships losing containers overboard when at sea, but never of them gaining one.”

“I agree with you, he starts off with two then has three and then goes and loses one again,” quipped Jowett.

“Absolutely, which is why I think you should sail to intercept the SS Afyon, board her and find out more of what she’s been up to.”

February 18
th
, SBCT Headquarters, England.

Commander Bagshaw was present with Major Rock for Cunningham’s debrief.

“Good Morning Gentlemen, we have asked you to attend this debrief because of its direct involvement with the Turkish desk and counter terrorism in general. In front of you is a file and you can see from the enclosed pictures and text that we have concerns about the SS Afyon and its motives,” Cunningham stopped to point at a large HD screen then continued, “as you can see the SS Afyon left Malta with just 2 containers on her foredeck on the high tide of the 3
rd
of February and we also can now confirm her log stated she left with just 2 containers.”

He pressed his hand held remote to change the picture, “some time later this reconnaissance of the ship shows three containers on board, yet she had not called at any port and the log shows no record of the third container.”

He then changed the picture to show the ship now steaming towards the Turkish coast then pressed his remote again and looked at the screen.

“This third shot on February the 5
th
shows the SS Afyon steaming away from the Turkish coast with just two containers, but yet again she has not called into any port and there is no log of any transfers at sea. Our judgement is that the SS Afyon has raised this container from the sea bed or taken it aboard from another ship then lowered it to the seabed off Turkey or onto another ship,” said Cunningham looking at his audience.

Bagshaw interrupted, “Captain, you said the log book stated she left with 2 containers, does this mean you have access to the ship?”

Cunningham nodded, “yes sir the destroyer HMS Bristol was asked to intercept the SS Afyon and made contact on the 6
th
of February. I will read extracts from Captain Jowett’s report; he is the Commander of HMS Bristol.”

‘At 1700 hours on the 6
th
of February, we requested permission to board the SS Afyon. Our requests were ignored and the Afyon set sail under full steam for the Turkish coast. The Bristol gave chase and fired two rounds across the bows of the Afyon. The Afyon then hove to and a boarding party was despatched from the Bristol. However, the boarding party came under small arms fire resulting in the death of one British sailor with two more injured, none seriously.”

He looked up at his audience, saw he had their full attention and continued, “’a second boarding party was despatched to attack the ship from starboard and eventually the ship was boarded. After a 30 minute fire fight the crew were subdued with 6 dead and 3 arrested.”