Who Bombed the Hilton?

 

 

Army Man's

Letter 

 

Pederick or

Ananda Marga?

 

 

The Hilton

Bombing Inquest 

 

Special Branch

Uncovered

Pederick or Ananda Marga ?

Is Pederick the Hilton Bomber ?

Some may point to Evan Pederick as the obvious Hilton bomber--after all he confessed to it. However, because he pleaded guilty, his confession was never tested until Tim Anderson's appeals case where it was criticised by the judges as unrealiable. There were numerous inconsistencies with the known facts. For example, Pederick first claimed the bomb was composed of 20 sticks of gelignite, until it was pointed out that amount would not fit into the garabage bin! Also the street address he claims Indian MP Desai arrived at was factually wrong.

Pederick accused Tim Anderson of conspiring with him over the bombing, however the case against Anderson was eventually thrown out of court on appeal.

Some years into Pedericks life sentence he expressed what many had been saying all along:

"Even Pederick has called for an inquiry into his conviction because he now believes he may be innocent ... Pederick has accused the police and prosecution of failing to test his evidence or his state of mind despite what he acknowledges were major flaws in his story ... Pederick now believes it is possible he may have become obsessed with the bombing and assumed guilt for it ... [Pederick said] 'The fact is that some of my most vivid memories, which I described in great detail under cross-examination with absolutely no doubt that what I was describing was true, could not have happened. My self-confidence is not unassailable.'"

(Janet Fife-Yeomans,'Confessed bomber seeks inquiry into verdict', The Australian, 16 May 1995, front page)

Did Ananda Marga Have a Motive?

No, in fact the newly elected Indian Prime Minister Moraji Desai, who the bomb was allegedly aimed at, was supporting the retrial of the imprisoned Ananda Marga leader (Baba). Ananda Marga had presented a letter to the Indian PM reminding him of his election promise. He did in fact honour his promise and Baba was subsequently retried and aquitted of all charges.

Violence was also not supported by Baba or the organisation as a way to secure Baba's release from false imprisonment. As Baba said to a reporter: "I completely disavow acts of violence and even if some misguided youths who have no faith in the Marga's ideology, are involved in such acts, it will not obtain my release in this way."

Since Baba refused to come out of jail through violence it made no sense to engage in violence--not to speak being against Ananda Marga's ideology. It is also noteworthy that no one has ever claimed responsiblity for the bombing.

The only group to have gained from the Hilton bombing is Special Branch and ASIO. Special Branch had been closed down in South Australia and there was intense public debate in favor of closing them down in NSW. There was also a lot of talk about reducing ASIO's powers because Australia did not have any serious terrorist threats. Then the Hilton Bombing occurred and all talk of closing them down stopped. In fact they gained greater powers and Special Branch continued another 15 years until last year. ASIO continues today...