North: US expert recruited to crime war
A leading American expert on organised crime has been recruited to help tackle the problem in Northern Ireland.
Professor Ronald Goldstock, who led the fight in New York against the Mafia and whose office indicted Colombian drugs barons, was announced by the Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid as his international adviser on how to tackle criminality in the North.
Dr Reid said: ‘‘Tackling organised crime has been one of my priorities in Northern Ireland.
‘‘The creation of the organised crime task force 18 months ago was a mark of the Government’s determination to help Northern Ireland make the transition to a normal society.
‘‘To further endorse my commitment to tackle this scourge, I am pleased to announce today the appointment of Professor Ronald Goldstock as an expert who can provide us with an international perspective in this area of criminality.
‘‘Professor Goldstock will report directly to me on the effect that organised crime has in Northern Ireland -in particular, by hindering the transition to a responsible civic society.’’
The minister also confirmed that his adviser would make recommendations on how to tackle the problem and draw on the experience of other countries.
He would also be seeking cross-community support for action against criminals.
Prof Goldstock was for 13 years the director of the New York State Organised Crime Task Force.
During his tenure, he tackled white collar and organised crime, playing a prominent role in the anti-Mafia Cosa Nostra commission.
He also helped prosecute the Lucchese and Gambino families and his office pursued the Cali drug cartel and their money laundering operation.
The professor welcomed the opportunity to tackle organised crime in Northern Ireland which many people believe is being dictated by Loyalist and Republican paramilitary groups.
However he said that his greatest task would be to attract cross community support for dealing with the problem.
‘‘It is one of the major problems,’’ he said. "Other countries have had the same sort of problems.
‘‘However there have been dramatic changes in Sicily where the public did not do anything before and then finally said enough is enough and joined with the police in fighting the problem of organised crime.
‘‘If it can be done there, it can be done anywhere.’’
Dr Reid said Prof Goldstock would provide ‘‘an objective pair of eyes’’ to take a fresh look at the issue of organised crime in Northern Ireland.
He acknowledged: ‘‘We have to make the police more effective in terms of resources and numbers and have to make it effective in terms of support and we will continue those endeavours.
’’We have already made a big headway with the Organised Crime Task Force established in September 2000, pooling all the agencies under the chairmanship of the Security Minister Jane Kennedy.’’
The task force is expected to publish its second threat assessment and strategy for dealing with organised crime in May.
The appointment of an international expert was welcomed by Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble who also hoped that other international experts would be drawn in to help with the fight against criminals.
‘‘I think any expert brought on board is useful,’’ the Ulster Unionist leader said in Washington.
‘‘What I would like to see is the general public becoming aware that there is a problem. In order to deal with that problem it is necessary to deal with it as a society.
‘‘It is not just a policing matter. It has to be dealt with in terms of other aspects of society.’’
