Headquarters Mobile Support Unit
Encyclopedia
The Headquarters Mobile Support Unit (HMSU) was a detachment of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
, now re-named the Police Service of Northern Ireland
(PSNI).
(RUC), intended to be the RUC equivalent of the Special Air Service
(SAS). Members of the HMSU were enrolled into RUC Special Branch and were trained by the SAS to on how to confront Irish Republican Army
(IRA) members and other terrorist suspects with "firepower, speed and aggression".
The unit had its prototype in the Bessbrook
Support Unit (BSU) set up in 1977 as part of the scaling-up of the RUC's numbers and capabilities under Chief Constable Kenneth Newman
to "Ulsterise
" as far as possible the maintenance of security. The intensively trained and highly armed BSU were intended to take over from the SAS the role of deployment along the South Armagh border to intercept IRA active service units. The BSU were in 1979 replaced with a Special Patrol Group
(SPG), which was in turn replaced in 1981 by the Special Support Unit (SSU). The SSU was subsequently renamed the Headquarters Mobile Support Unit (HMSU) as the initials SSU were considered too similar to SAS, suggesting a military-style unit.
" incidents of November and December 1982, when six suspected terrorists were shot dead in three separate incidents, all of whom turned out to be unarmed. These incidents, and evidence which came out in court of organised falsification of the details of the encounters, led to the setting up of the 1984–86 Stalker Inquiry.
In this period, according to evidence given in court at the time by RUC deputy chief constable Michael McAtamney, officers selected for the unit underwent a two-week assessment of fitness, mental ability and endurance under pressure, followed by a four-week course including seven days devoted exclusively to weapons training; with the focus being to "eliminate the threat" posed to officers.
In addition to standard RUC weaponry, the unit additionally used Israeli-made Uzi sub-machine guns; Remington pump-action shotguns
and Browning
semi-automatic shotguns; the Ruger mini-light automatic rifle; and 14-shot, 54 Smith and Wesson magnums, carried as personal sidearms. According to one subsequent report, at the time of the 1982 shootings, the HMSU that had been active in the RUC southern region comprised two dozen men, working in field teams of six, travelling in pairs of specially armoured unmarked Ford Cortina
s, the front passenger with a Sterling submachine gun
, the rear passenger a Ruger rifle, and all three including the driver were armed with pistols.
The unit was based at Lisnasharrah Barracks, East Belfast, and worked closely with the RUC plain-clothes intelligence gathering unit E4A
. Many were English, and ex-soldiers. According to reports, as uncovered by the Stalker Inquiry, the units operated almost as a law unto themselves, taking orders only from a small group at Gough Barracks in Armagh that was in charge of tasking and co-ordination, who in turn answered only to Special Branch at RUC headquarters at Knock, with members not generally recognising the authority of more senior officers not in the unit, a constable on one occasion telling a CID detective to leave the site and come back after he had had a meal.
According to American writer J. Bowyer Bell
there were two such units in all at the time, of 24 members each; though a 1985 newspaper article claimed at least 12 such squads were active. The same article tried to put the units in context: "The circumstances of the shootings have to be put into the context of Northern Ireland. In the same period two RUC officers who approached a car parked outside a County Down post office were shot dead by IRA men about to stage a robbery. Unionists were not slow to claim that if anyone was shooting to kill, it was the Republican paramilitaries."
Tasking of counter-terrorist operations was put into the hands of a joint committee that included army intelligence, MI5 and MI6 as well as senior police officers, rather than the original exclusive tight control by a close-knit small group of RUC officers reporting to HQ-level Special Branch. Some measures were also taken to make the Special Branch less of a force within a force
, with regional RUC assistant chief commissioners having to be informed of Special Branch operations in their areas, and a single senior assistant chief commissioner position created, with oversight responsibility for both CID and Special Branch. The HMSU continued to take part in "rapid reaction" duties, including raids on suspected terrorist properties, and spearheading riot control.
The HMSU continued in being throughout the 1980s and 1990s as an operational sub-department of Special Branch department E4. In this time the unit traced and arrested several IRA members in Northern Ireland.
Now with the level of threat in Northern Ireland not as high as in previous years the unit currently responsd to high risk police duties such as drug raids, armed response, etc whilst monitoring the IRA and splinter groups, ready to respond to any terrorist activity in Northern Ireland. HMSU is now located within the PSNI's C4 Special Operations Branch.
Divisional Mobile Support Units (DMSUs), attached to each police division, have also existed. The DMSUs have now been renamed Tactical Support Groups (TSGs).
G36K
MP5A3
MP5K
Glock 17
----
Types of shotguns, sniper rifles and pictures to be added.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
, now re-named the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
(PSNI).
Background
The Headquarters Mobile Support Unit (HMSU) was a uniformed special unit established by the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC), intended to be the RUC equivalent of the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS). Members of the HMSU were enrolled into RUC Special Branch and were trained by the SAS to on how to confront Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
(IRA) members and other terrorist suspects with "firepower, speed and aggression".
The unit had its prototype in the Bessbrook
Bessbrook
Bessbrook is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about three miles northwest of Newry and close to the main Dublin–Belfast road and rail line...
Support Unit (BSU) set up in 1977 as part of the scaling-up of the RUC's numbers and capabilities under Chief Constable Kenneth Newman
Kenneth Newman
Sir Kenneth Leslie Newman, GBE, QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1982 to 1987 and Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary from 1976 to 1980...
to "Ulsterise
Ulsterisation
Ulsterisation refers to one part 'primacy of the police' of a three part strategy by the British Government to pacify Northern Ireland during the conflict known as The Troubles...
" as far as possible the maintenance of security. The intensively trained and highly armed BSU were intended to take over from the SAS the role of deployment along the South Armagh border to intercept IRA active service units. The BSU were in 1979 replaced with a Special Patrol Group
Special Patrol Group (RUC)
The Special Patrol Group in the Royal Ulster Constabulary was a police unit tasked with counter terrorism. Each SPG had 30 members. Many of the SPG units were accused of collusion with the illegal paramilitary group the Ulster Volunteer Force, particularly the actions of a unit based in Armagh.-A...
(SPG), which was in turn replaced in 1981 by the Special Support Unit (SSU). The SSU was subsequently renamed the Headquarters Mobile Support Unit (HMSU) as the initials SSU were considered too similar to SAS, suggesting a military-style unit.
"Shoot to kill"
The SSU were infamously involved in the alleged "shoot-to-killShoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland
During the period known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary were accused of operating a shoot-to-kill policy, under which suspects were alleged to have been deliberately killed without any attempt to arrest them...
" incidents of November and December 1982, when six suspected terrorists were shot dead in three separate incidents, all of whom turned out to be unarmed. These incidents, and evidence which came out in court of organised falsification of the details of the encounters, led to the setting up of the 1984–86 Stalker Inquiry.
In this period, according to evidence given in court at the time by RUC deputy chief constable Michael McAtamney, officers selected for the unit underwent a two-week assessment of fitness, mental ability and endurance under pressure, followed by a four-week course including seven days devoted exclusively to weapons training; with the focus being to "eliminate the threat" posed to officers.
In addition to standard RUC weaponry, the unit additionally used Israeli-made Uzi sub-machine guns; Remington pump-action shotguns
Remington 870
The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense. It is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.-Development:The Remington 870 was...
and Browning
Browning Arms Company
Browning Arms Company is a maker of firearms, bows and fishing gear. Founded in Utah in 1927, it offers a wide variety of firearms, including shotguns, rifles, pistols, and rimfire firearms and sport bows, as well as fishing rods and reels....
semi-automatic shotguns; the Ruger mini-light automatic rifle; and 14-shot, 54 Smith and Wesson magnums, carried as personal sidearms. According to one subsequent report, at the time of the 1982 shootings, the HMSU that had been active in the RUC southern region comprised two dozen men, working in field teams of six, travelling in pairs of specially armoured unmarked Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
s, the front passenger with a Sterling submachine gun
Sterling submachine gun
The Sterling submachine gun is a British submachine gun which was in service with the British Army from 1944 until 1994, when it was phased out with the introduction of the L85A1 assault rifle.-History:...
, the rear passenger a Ruger rifle, and all three including the driver were armed with pistols.
The unit was based at Lisnasharrah Barracks, East Belfast, and worked closely with the RUC plain-clothes intelligence gathering unit E4A
E4A
The E4A was an anti-terrorist unit within 'E' Department of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, probably established in 1978 . It was primarily made up of police officers who conducted surveillance to be acted on by RUC Special Branch...
. Many were English, and ex-soldiers. According to reports, as uncovered by the Stalker Inquiry, the units operated almost as a law unto themselves, taking orders only from a small group at Gough Barracks in Armagh that was in charge of tasking and co-ordination, who in turn answered only to Special Branch at RUC headquarters at Knock, with members not generally recognising the authority of more senior officers not in the unit, a constable on one occasion telling a CID detective to leave the site and come back after he had had a meal.
According to American writer J. Bowyer Bell
J. Bowyer Bell
J. Bowyer Bell was an American historian, artist and art critic.-Background and early life:Bell was born into an Episcopalian family on 15 November 1931 in New York City. The family later moved to Alabama, from where Bell attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, majoring in...
there were two such units in all at the time, of 24 members each; though a 1985 newspaper article claimed at least 12 such squads were active. The same article tried to put the units in context: "The circumstances of the shootings have to be put into the context of Northern Ireland. In the same period two RUC officers who approached a car parked outside a County Down post office were shot dead by IRA men about to stage a robbery. Unionists were not slow to claim that if anyone was shooting to kill, it was the Republican paramilitaries."
Post 1982
Following the 1982 shootings, the role of the HMSU was reined back. Subsequently the RUC would play a supporting role in such operations, but the active role in intelligence-led covert ambushes was returned to the British Army, in particular the SAS and similarly-trained army units, though under ultimate police operational control.Tasking of counter-terrorist operations was put into the hands of a joint committee that included army intelligence, MI5 and MI6 as well as senior police officers, rather than the original exclusive tight control by a close-knit small group of RUC officers reporting to HQ-level Special Branch. Some measures were also taken to make the Special Branch less of a force within a force
State within a state
State within a state is a political situation in a country when an internal organ, generally from the armed forces, intelligence agencies or police, does not respond to the civilian leadership....
, with regional RUC assistant chief commissioners having to be informed of Special Branch operations in their areas, and a single senior assistant chief commissioner position created, with oversight responsibility for both CID and Special Branch. The HMSU continued to take part in "rapid reaction" duties, including raids on suspected terrorist properties, and spearheading riot control.
The HMSU continued in being throughout the 1980s and 1990s as an operational sub-department of Special Branch department E4. In this time the unit traced and arrested several IRA members in Northern Ireland.
Now with the level of threat in Northern Ireland not as high as in previous years the unit currently responsd to high risk police duties such as drug raids, armed response, etc whilst monitoring the IRA and splinter groups, ready to respond to any terrorist activity in Northern Ireland. HMSU is now located within the PSNI's C4 Special Operations Branch.
Divisional Mobile Support Units (DMSUs), attached to each police division, have also existed. The DMSUs have now been renamed Tactical Support Groups (TSGs).
Current weaponry
G36CG36K
MP5A3
MP5K
Glock 17
----
Types of shotguns, sniper rifles and pictures to be added.