Who bombed the Hilton? (37 page)

Notes

The Hilton and me

1
Fletcher, William, Coroner's Report: ‘Unknown Male believed to be William Flavell'. 13/2/78. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

2
Parliament of New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, ‘Hilton Hotel Bombing', 9/12/1991, Hansard.
See also
Parliament of Australia, ‘Hilton Hotel Bombing', 10/11/1992, Hansard.
See also
Parliament of New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, ‘Hilton Hotel Bombing Inquiry Proposal', 21/9/1995, Hansard.

The story we tell

1
Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982. Item no. 9/8113.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

2
‘20 years jail for Hilton bomber',
Canberra Times
, 16 September 1989, p. 6.

3
Hunt, CJAT, CL Studderst and Simpson JJ.
R. v. Evan Dunstan
Pederick
— BC 9701982. Supreme Court of New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal. 60137 of 1996. 17 December 1996, 21 May 1997.

The bomb and the bin

1
‘Police launch a massive hunt for the Hilton bomber',
Sydney Morning Herald
,14 February 1978, p. 2.

2
Note: one leader will arrive the next morning. Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit.

3
‘All Australians should mourn: Wran',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 14 February 1978, p. 2.

4
‘Police launch a massive hunt for the Hilton bomber', op. cit., p. 2.

5
Bilton, Michael,
Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire
Ripper
, HarperCollins, London, 2003.

6
Morris, P, Garbage collection schedules, 1978. 13/2/78. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

7
O'Conner, WJ, Emptied Bin 10/2/78 [i.e. his Friday night shift began on 10 February; the bin was emptied at 12:30 am on the 11th]. 13/2/78. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

8
‘He was the last Council employee to empty this bin prior to the explosion.' Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit., p.7.

9
There is no better place to locate a précis of this long-held conspiracy than simply going straight to the Hilton Hotel Bombing Wikipedia page. It's all there.

10
Porter, NA, Garbage collection 11/2/78. Statement, New South Wales Police, Town Hall Kent Street, 14 February 1978. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

11
‘Fraser plays host to the region',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 27 January 1978, p. 7.
See also
‘Security like Fort Knox', Sydney Morning Herald, 12 February 1978, p. 3.

12
‘India's lead to the Australian summit', CHOGRM Notebook,
Sydney Morning Herald
, 11 February 1978, p. 10.

13
‘Security like Fort Knox', op. cit.

14
Policing of Hilton Hotel, 5/2/78. Hilton bombing Part 1. 1965–1980 (Ministry for Police and Emergency Services). Item no. 9/8055.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

15
‘Tight security for our biggest summit',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 12 February 1978, p. 38.

16
Morris, P, op. cit., p. 2.

Sunday 12 February 1978

1
Stevens, LJ, Street Sweeper. Condition of Bin. 12/2/78. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. New South Wales Police. Town Hall. Kent St. 14/2/78. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

2
Stoupel, J, Commissionaire at Hilton. Condition of Bin. 12/2/78. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. New South Wales Police. Town Hall. Kent St. 14/2/78. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

3
Airport Arrivals for CHOGRM. Policing of Hilton Hotel. 5.2.78.
Hilton bombing Part 1. 1965–1980 (Ministry for Police and Emergency Services), p. 11. Item no. 9/8055.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

4
Snashall, KR, Garbage Collection. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. New South Wales Police. Town Hall. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

5
‘A District', Policing of Hilton Hotel. 5/2/78. Hilton bombing Part 1. 1965–1980. (Ministry for Police and Emergency Services). p. 9. Item no. 9/8055.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

6
ibid., p. 8.

7
Kevin O'Meara Gleeson witness statement, referenced in Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit., p. 7.

8
Witness statement, Edward John Patching, Public Servant. New South Wales Police. 1/10/82. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

9
Cuthbertson, AJ, Signwriter. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. New South Wales Police. 19/2/78. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

10
These photographs (particularly the question of why Abhiik Kumar's head is circled) will become the basis of contention in the 1982 inquest. Detective Senior Constable Henderson identifies photographs of Jason Holman Alexander as Abhiik. Item no. 9/8112.2. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

Monday 13 February 1978

1
Ebb, William John. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. New South Wales Police. 13/7/89. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

2
Timothy Charles Vaughan witness statement, referenced in Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit., p. 4.

3
Jones, Suzanne Jeanette. Scene Hilton bombing Statements. New South Wales Police. 29/9/89. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.
See also
Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, p. 3.

4
‘Position 9'. Policing of Hilton Hotel. 5/2/78. Hilton bombing Part 1. 1965–1980. (Ministry for Police and Emergency Services). p. 7. Item no. 9/8055.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

5
Cecil Streatfield witness statement, referenced in Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit., p. 3.

6
See also
references to the witnesses cab driver Carlo Maximo Quaglia and Hilton employee Kenneth Stuart Mackenzie. Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit.

7
Pedersen, Ernest Bramwell, Medical Practitioner. Examination of the scene. 2.45 am–4.15 am. 8/3/78. Item no. 9/8113.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

8
Gries, Manfred Von. Scene Hilton bombing statements. New South Wales Police. 13/2/78. Item no. 9/8113.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

9
‘The Hilton Hotel bombing: how the crisis developed',
Sydney
Morning Herald
, 14 February 1978, p. 1.

10
Statement, Norman Arthur Sheather, Detective Senior Inspector, 13 May 1982, op. cit., p. 3.

11
West, John Charles. Explosion at Sydney Hilton Hotel, George St, Sydney. Scientific Investigation section. Health Commission. 30/3/78. Item no. 9/8112.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

12
Millington, Det. Sgt RD. Explosion in George Street in Vicinity of Hilton Hotel, Sydney, 13/2/78, pp. 2–3. Running Sheets 1 – 50/12. Item no. 9/8116.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

13
Jones, Margaret, ‘Bloody deaths at the Hilton',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 14 February 1978, pp. 7–8.

14
Sheather, Norman, Regarding a Fatal Bomb Explosion outside the Hilton Hotel. Item no. 9/8055.1. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

15
‘Hilton blast: the police are still in the dark',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 14 February 1978, p. 2.

Tuesday 14 February 1978

1
Cunningham, J, ‘Veil of secrecy surrounds the bomb-hunters',
Sydney
Morning Herald
, 14 February 1978, p. 7.

2
‘PMs fly as Army guards railway',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 15 February 1978, p. 1.

3
Holdich, R, Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security,
Complaint by Mr Richard John Seary against the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation: Final Report
, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Canberra, 1994.

4
Police Integrity Commission,
Report to Parliament regarding the former
Special Branch of the New South Wales Police Service
, June 1998, p. 7

5
ibid.

6
ibid.

7
Holdich, R, Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security,
Complaint by Mr Richard John Seary against the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation: Final Report
, op. cit.

8
ASIO briefing of potential Hilton threats. Circa 6/2/1978. Running sheets extra. Item no. 9/8132. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

Wednesday 15 February 1978

1
Sutton, Michael. Statement. 13/2/78. Running sheets extra. Item no. 9/8132. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

2
Trotter, Robert Norman. ‘Sees Anderson and passenger in taxi'. 15/2/78. Item no. 9/8112.1 Scene Hilton bombing — Statements. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

3
‘Ananda Marga sees a Russian presence',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 14 February 1978, p. 2.

4
‘No mercy for hotel bombers',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 16 February 1978, p. 2.

5
Musgrave, Robert Barry, Ballistics Unit, Detective Senior Constable of Police. Statement. 3/3/82. Running sheets extra. Item no. 9/8112.1 Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

6
‘Framed, say Australians on explosives charge',
Sydney Morning Herald
, 17 February 1978, p. 1.

7
Child's name is also spelled ‘Childs' in some archival sources.

8
Victim was Indian embassy (Personal?) Secretary and was stabbed in chest and neck. Also, names spelled ‘Steven Michael Dwyer' and ‘Victoria Sheppard' in original telex. But spelled Shepherd and Sherpherd by Manila police. Telex to Sheather from Philippines Interpol Manila 9/3/1978. Running sheets extra. Item no. 9/8132. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

9
Helson/Watson Special Branch. Conference with the vice-consul of India, Mr Alagh, and Detective Constable First Class Helson and Constable Watson concerning Indian terrorists and information that that country may hold regarding similar acts by Ananda Marga. 17/2/78. Item no. 9/8132. Records relating to the Hilton bombing. Cabinet Office. New South Wales State Records.

10
ibid.

11
There are a few variations on the date that Sarkar's appeal was denied. I have gone with 2 February as it appears in a number of primary sources in 1978. The 3 February date appears in Wood, J,
Report of the inquiry held under section 475 of the Crimes Act, 1900 into the convictions of Timothy Edward Anderson, Paul Shaun [i.e. Shawn] Alister and Ross Anthony Dunn at Central Criminal Court, Sydney, on 1st August, 1979
, 3 Vols. NSW Govt Printer, Sydney, 1985.