ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 26

January 2005
Articles, newsreports and Items of interest :enigma2000-owner@yahoogroups.com

Churchill House demolished

BEFORE we move onto part 3 of our ENIGMA 2000 article we warm your receptors up with this short piece from Northern Ireland and the pen of AnonNI:

On the morning of 28 November 2004 an explosion involving approximately 200lb of commercial explosives destroyed Churchill House in Victoria Square, Belfast. But this was not an act of sinister elements from Northern Irelands dark past, quite the opposite in fact, as the former British Telecom and Government office building was demolished by the Controlled Demolition Group Limited to make way for a new retail development.

Churchill house
More pics can be seen at http://saoirse32.blogthing.com/2004/11/21/churchill-house

Why does this event warrant a mention in the E2k newsletter?

Well Churchill House was a location mentioned as being part of the Echelon intercept network in documents circulating on the Internet and elsewhere a few years ago. The nineteen-story tower block had a steel communications tower on the roof, which supported an array of various VHF/UHF antennas, as well as several small microwave antennas.

In the weeks preceding the demolition, the number of antennas on the tower diminished although the tower itself was left and fell with the building.

Whether there was ever any truth in the Echelon rumours will probably never be known.

Another mystery is why it was felt necessary to bring in contractors from England to carry out the demolition works when there was substantial local labour* skilled in the use of explosives available! [Thanks AnonNI – another question that may never be answered]!

Anyone want further photos to prove its demolition!?

* ‘The Boys’ Demolition Group – no object too small, Health and Safety no problem!