Meibion Glyndŵr

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Meibion Glyndŵr (Welsh: Sons of Glyndŵr) was a Welsh nationalist movement violently opposed to the loss of Welsh culture and language. They were formed in response to the housing crisis precipitated by large numbers of second homes being bought by the English which had pushed up house prices beyond the means of many locals. They were responsible for setting fire to English-owned holiday homes in Wales from 1979 to the mid 1990s.

The group first came to prominence in 1979. In the first wave of attacks, eight English-owned holiday homes were destroyed within the first month. Within the next 10 years around 220 properties were damaged by the campaign.[1] It peaked in the late 1980s with the targeting of Conservative MPs' homes and David Hunt, the then Welsh secretary, was a target in 1990.

Responsibility for the bombings had been taken by four separate movements: Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (the movement to defend Wales), Cadwyr Cymru (the keepers of Wales), Meibion Glyndŵr and The Welsh Army for the Workers Republic (WAWR). However, Meibion Glyndŵr has been the only group to have had any claim to long-term success, although since the mid-1990s this group has been inactive and Welsh nationalist violence has ceased, at least on an organisational level.

Letters claiming responsibility for attacks were signed "Rhys Gethin".

A reinvestigation into postal bombings led to the conviction of Sion Aubrey Roberts with the use of DNA testing in 1993. Many cases still remain unresolved.

It has been claimed in recent times, that they were in fact an MI5 front, or run by agents provocateurs.[1] Evidence for this theory is not forthcoming.


Contents

[edit] Activities

  • 1969: Two members of Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru accidentally blew themselves up while apparently planning a bomb on a railway line along which Prince Charles was due to travel.
  • 1979-94: Meibion Glyndŵr fire-bomb around 220 English-owned homes.
  • 1989: Meibion Glyndŵr declared that "every white settler is a target". The group also placed incendiary bombs in Conservative party offices in London and estate agents' offices in London, Liverpool, Sutton Coldfield and Haverfordwest.
  • 1990: Poet and priest R. S. Thomas calls for a campaign to deface English-owned homes.
  • 1993: Sion Aubrey Roberts, a member of Meibion Glyndŵr, was jailed for nine years for sending letter bombs to Conservative politicians.

[edit] Books

"To Dream of Freedom" by Roy Clews, 3rd edition, Publisher: Y Lolfa, 2004. Concentrates on MAC and the Free Wales Army in the 1960s. Includes interviews by participants.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b MP's theory over cottage burnings, BBC News, 10 December 2004. Accessed 9 February 2007.

[edit] External links

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