A pleasant surprise.

I often receive messages of support from members of the public and or facebook friends but this one stood out and I felt the need to share it with you. I have redacted the name of the author as well as other detail, geographical location/s, those that relate to both the author and their family.

Conversation started today Date: 29 June 2013 Time: 17:48 From: Redacted ----Dear Martin Hope you dont mind some private words from me. Just want to write to you and express my support for you personally. I first heard about you 7 years ago when I was visiting Belfast in 2006 and got a guided taxi tour round the citys trouble spots, saw the murals from both sides, the first thing the driver said was 'before you ask, I am a Nationalist Catholic', 'good start' I thought, but as we were going round Republican Areas, he got on about the IRA, supposed defenders of Republican Ulster and got talking about punishment beatings and penalties for 'treason' and 'collaboration, obviously, discussing that, your name came up in the same breath as words like 'scum, traitor and tout, and to be honest, I did know what to make of you, that is a biased and judgmental comment from someone from a Nationalist area, who also failed to mention the amount of

lives you undoubtedly saved...He talked about you as if you were the love child of Bertie Smalls, not very nice at all. I read 50DWM, saw the film and read the sequel and realised just how much of a man you are, if I remember right and feel free to correct me, where you still only a kid when recruited as an informant, 17-18 rings a bell, to be doing that so young must be hard. Anyway to infiltrate a group of thugs and morons was remarkable, I am a very patriotic man, I love my country and it makes me sick knowing they treat you like shite, the fact they always saw you as expendable is sickening. Saving 1 life would be an achievement in itself, but 40-50 is truly inspiring and something to be proud of, MI5, the RUC, Special Branch should be kissing your arse and give you a kings ransom for doing so, and makes me sick knowing one of my local constabularies has targeted you, my local police is Durham Constabulary, but I have had dealings with Northumbria Force. Some People may think youre a hero and a legend, others may think you are a common tout, a traitor, no offence mate, but I dont think your either a hero or traitor, your just you, plain old Martin McGartland, who happened to save more lives than most people would in 50 lifetimes... Couple of questions, if you dont mind me asking 1. Do you have many regrets? If so, what 2. If you had your time again, would you change any of it? Again, if so, what Anyway keep fighting, youre like a cat, you got 9 lives, jumping out windows, getting shot and surviving everything the Security Services throw at you...

It is a real shame you cant go back home, I have been to Northern Ireland 4 times now ('04, '05, '06 and '08) and had few drinking sessions with Northern Irish Football fans in Gran Canaria who were there for a game in Las Palmas and find most people from NI to be friendly, hospitable with a good attitude, very welcoming, I have family in Redacted and I love Belfast. Keep it up mate and take care Redacted

My Reply: From: Martin 'Marty' McGartland Hi Redacted, Great to hear from you. Thank you for taking the time to message me and also for your kind words. More than happy to answer your questions; Question 1: Do you have many regrets? If so, what? Answer: I would like to say No but there is the regret that I (and Special Branch) were not able to save the life of Private Tony Harrison. Question 2: If you had your time again, would you change any of it? Again, if so, what Answer: I would have done it in the very same way (save for 1 above) - I may have asked for a written contract maybe I would not be still fighting State 22 years on. Martin