Recently vandalized UK warplanes are foreign assets – ex-envoy to RT (VIDEO)
In June, several activists from the group Palestine Action broke into Brize Norton, the UK's largest airbase, and sprayed red paint into the turbines of two Voyager aircraft before fleeing the scene undetected.
The group said the stunt was a protest against the supposed involvement of the Royal Air Force in Israel's military operation in Gaza. The British authorities vowed to prosecute those responsible.
Speaking to RT on Sunday, Murray, who served as British ambassador to Uzbekistan from 2002 till 2004 and is an associate of WikiLeaks' co-founder Julian Assange, said that he had discovered that the planes in question were owned by Airtanker Ltd, which, in turn, is supposedly 'owned by a string of seven fake companies.'
According to Murray, behind the cutout entities stands a US hedge fund named Polygon Global Partners LLP, which is the real owner of the planes.
He claimed that the entity 'has joint interests with the Trump organization and BlackRock,' which has stakes in several military industrial giants.
The former British diplomat told RT that of the 14 planes in question 'nine are permanently with the RAF, and five of them are sometimes with the RAF, and sometimes can be leased out to other foreign militaries, including the Israeli military.'
'It seems to be fairly definite that the Israelis are using these planes. These planes have been frequently flying to [the RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus] which has been the main military support base for Israeli activities into Gaza,' Murray claimed.
He added that officials in London refuse to either confirm or deny that such military missions are carried out in support of Israel.
On top of that, according to Murray, the British 'taxpayer is being ripped off' as under the contract with Polygon Global, the UK government is 'paying five times the value of these planes.' He said the agreement expires in 2049.
In the wake of the vandalism, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to designate the activist group as a terrorist organization and ban it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
an hour ago
- Russia Today
Hypocritical EU ‘totally complicit in Gaza genocide'
The EU has shown unwavering support for Israel's 'genocide' in Gaza while failing to uphold international law or acknowledge the scale of Palestinian suffering, Mick Wallace, a former member of the European Parliament for Ireland, has said. Speaking to RT on Monday, Wallace accused Brussels of being 'totally complicit,' adding that the word 'complicit' was probably not strong enough. 'As far as I'm concerned, the EU has enabled and supported the genocide in Gaza 100%,' he stated. He singled out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola for granting Israel a 'blank check' in the days after the October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel. 'Neither of them has said one word of criticism of Israel yet,' he said. While public opposition to the war continues across Europe, Wallace says EU leaders have aligned themselves with what he described as the 'Zionist settler-colonial project.' Asked about an EU External Action Service review suggesting Israel may have violated human rights, Wallace dismissed the prospect of any response, 'because Israel has them in their pocket.' He pointed to the staggering number of Palestinians – including tens of thousands of children – killed by Israeli forces, yet 'the EU institutions still refused to condemn Israel.' But when images of starvation surfaced, EU officials abruptly declared it was 'wrong to starve the Palestinians,' he said. 'Is it okay to bomb them morning, noon, and night, but not starve them?' Wallace accused the EU leadership of having 'no morals' and 'no interest in international law anymore.' Commenting on reports that EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas may propose a formal response to Israel's actions, Wallace scoffed: 'Come on. You wouldn't give her a job in a coffee shop... She hasn't a clue.' The EU's association agreement with Israel includes a human rights clause, but Wallace said it has no real effect. 'Not one single member state has broken business links with Israel yet,' he said. 'The hypocrisy is dripping out of the place.' Asked about Germany's role as Israel's top EU arms supplier, Wallace responded: 'I would hold every EU member state culpable… The genocide is happening because both the US and Europe have given it full support.' The conflict began with Hamas' assault on southern Israel in October 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage. Of those, 50 remain in Gaza, with fewer than half still alive. Israel's military response has killed at least 57,000 people in the enclave, mostly civilians, over the past 21 months, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Russia Today
UK official reveals shocking state of water supplies
The UK has been pushed to the brink of water rationing due to 'years of mismanagement' of resources and insufficient infrastructure, the country's environment minister has warned. In an interview with The i Paper published on Monday, Steve Reed said the country was faced with adopting measures often seen in drought-hit Mediterranean nations. 'The public, by and large, were not aware that at the time of the last general election, this country was looking at water rationing within ten years,' Reed said, speaking one year after Labour's election win. He warned that rebuilding the UK's essential systems, including water infrastructure, 'cannot be done over just five years.' The strain on supply has increased due to growing demand from new industries such as battery factories and data centers, which require large volumes of water to cool their systems. 'They can't operate without vast amounts of water,' he said. Reed added that without intervention, the UK faced rationing and water being turned off at certain times of the day. The warning follows a record-breaking June heatwave in the UK, and as temperatures are expected to exceed 30C (86F) in parts of the country again this week. The government has secured £104 billion (around $136 billion) for infrastructure upgrades over the next five years following a spending review by regulator Ofwat. The funds will be used to build reservoirs and reduce leakage, Reed said. However, he warned that despite growing public demand for action, restoring the country's water system would take more than five years. Other countries facing similar challenges have adopted a range of water-saving measures. Spain has restricted household water access to a few hours per day during droughts, while Australia enforces tiered water bans during dry spells. Singapore recycles up to 40% of its water through advanced purification, and South Korea uses smart meters to monitor usage and leaks.
Russia Today
12 hours ago
- Russia Today
UK-French Ukraine military initiative ‘lacks direction'
A UK-French initiative to deploy troops to Ukraine after a potential truce with Russia is floundering, and adding to tensions between the two countries, Politico reported on Monday, citing officials. French President Emmanuel Macron stated last year that Kiev's backers should not rule out placing boots on the ground in Ukraine. Following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January, who has prioritized securing a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev, Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer rallied together a 'coalition of the willing' – countries that could take part in a post-truce mission in Ukraine. Russia has warned it would not tolerate this. The next meeting of the coalition is scheduled for Thursday and will be co-chaired by Macron and Starmer from the British Army's Northwood Headquarters, home to NATO's Allied Maritime Command. The gathering coincides with Macron's state visit to the UK. Politico cited two French officials who said the initiative 'lacks clear direction' and blamed London for its stagnation. They claimed the UK government has placed undue emphasis on securing US backing, which has yet to materialize. Meanwhile, UK officials have reportedly accused Macron of focusing more on his legacy as his presidency nears the end. The rift over Ukraine is among several 'hairline cracks [that] have started to appear in the cross-Channel bromance,' Politico reported. The Pentagon has recently suspended some weapons shipments to Ukraine, citing the need to prioritize US self-defense and missions elsewhere. On Sunday, Trump said he is doing 'a lot' to help Ukraine, after being questioned by a reporter on why Washington is not defending Ukraine as robustly as it does Israel. Last week, Macron called Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in three years, following Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Russia has condemned the attacks as damaging to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Macron said the call was aimed at addressing the implications of the strikes, stressing that France 'bears responsibility for ensuring stability.' Moscow has accused Western governments of encouraging Kiev to fight 'to the last Ukrainian,' and maintains that no amount of military aid will reverse Ukraine's fortunes on the battlefield.
