Lingering questions about Robin Cook's death

I would rather not be having these thoughts but, as I am, I reckon it's time to commit them to writing.  This extended entry builds upon 'Robin Cook, the Database and Secrets', which itself derived from 'Warning to Labour Politicians' (and the thread began with 'John Prescott and National Security').  It raises questions about Robin Cook's death, ones I've not seen addressed elsewhere.  In life, I was never Cooky's biggest fan.  But if there were the slightest possibility that his death was not naturally caused, then the man deserves better than for the official version to be believed without question. 

It's been about 9 months since the passing of Robin Cook MP.  I have suggested previously that, one month before he died, Cook may have started to divulge confidential information, despite having signed the Official Secrets Act.  His sudden and unexpected death might have saved MI6/MI5/DIS/whomever from having to resolve the problem of how to stop him doing it again.

The recent Prescott affair had alerted me to the strange possibility that undercover MI5 officers or agents might have been working as diary secretaries for some senior Labour Party politicians.  And that brought, reluctantly, Gaynor Regan to mind;  she had become Robin Cook's diary secretary around 1994, the year he had become shadow foreign secretary.  Such diary secretaries - Tracey Temple, too - would have to be vetted and to have signed the Official Secrets Act.  Once my mind began to question whether Gaynor Regan really had been all that she had appeared to be, then other questions about the circumstances of Robin Cook's death followed, ones that I had discounted at the time because, after all, he was with her when he died and it was all a terrible tragedy.

But. for example, how did he die?  The post mortem took two days "to establish whether the Livingston MP had died from an illness or injuries sustained in the fall", and the cause of death was eventually given as 'hypertensive heart disease'.  No mention was made of any injuries to the head and neck.  Yet most early press reports indicated that, after having had a heart attack, he had fallen down a ridge and had broken his neck.   The spokesman for RAF Kinloss air rescue centre said that Robin Cook had been winched up to the helicopter from "... close to the summit.  That part of Ben Stack is very steep, monster steep and very rocky."  I reckon it'd be a bit surprising if there were no head or neck injuries at all if a body fell, as a dead-weight, down that rocky ridge.  But the official story was sudden death by heart disease.

When did he die?  There are conflicting accounts, not helped by the fact that the announcement of his death was delayed by three hours for family and friends to be informed.  Officially, he was pronounced dead at 4.05pm, soon after being brought at the hospital in Inverness.  But all reports said Gaynor and a fellow hill-walker gave Cook artificial resuscitation for 30-40 minutes, instructed via mobile phone, until the chopper arrived.  I'm no medic, but if he needed resuscitating then he probably died not long after he collapsed, around 2.20pm, before even the emergency services were called. 

Who were the so-far unidentified group of walkers (or hunters(?)) who, we were told, came to Gaynor Cook's aid?  If it's not an obvious question, what were they doing on Ben Stack?  For, according to the landlady of Scourie Lodge, where the Cooks had spent their last night,

"She was lucky another walker was in the area to be with her at such a time.

"You could be on Ben Stack ninety times and not see a soul, so for someone to be within shouting distance and with a mobile phone was very fortunate."

Indeed.  Although most reports spoke of a 'group of walkers', in this Times article there was only one.

Neither of the Cooks was carrying a mobile phone but Mrs Cook's cries for help were answered by a walker, who called the emergency services at about 2.23pm.

Between them, Mrs Cook, 48, and the man, who has not been named, gave Mr Cook mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions under the telephone guidance of Inverness ambulance staff, until rescuers arrived by Coastguard helicopter at 3.01pm.

How come that heroic walker kept his anonymity?   Did he, at least, give a statement to police?  What about the party he belonged to, mentioned by the Sunday Times, the Herald and many others?  I find it odd that no one in that group of walkers spoke to, or was spoken to by, anyone in the media or, as far as we know, the police.  Was even their nationality ever revealed?

Robin Cook chose an extremely remote place to die, far away from London, and the story was over before the press could send anyone to cover it.  I doubt any journalist was sent to climb Ben Stack to see the place the former foreign secretary had died.  (I haven't either, but I'm just a blogger in London.)  Someone who has walked up Ben Stack described it thus:

Although the walk doesn't cover much distance and can easily completed in half a day, there are a couple of ridges to be negotiated near, and at, the top.

Presumably Robin Cook collapsed at that first ridge, before the summit.  If he had been taken ill before they'd reached that narrow pass, it's unlikely he would have suffered any head or neck injuries [see photos of Ben Stack] when falling.  So his collapse couldn't have occured at a more dangerous or inopportune place. 

Although Ben Stack is as remote as can be, it is strangely linked back to London, back to Westminster even, through its ownership.  The mountain is situated within the extensive Reay Forest estate, which belongs to the hyper-rich Duke of Westminster.  It's used for deer-stalking, shooting, and fishing, etc.  The duke owns vast amounts of British land and is our wealthiest aristocrat by far.  But he's also devoted much of his working life to the armed forces, in particular to the reservist Territorial Army, of which he is a Major-General and its most senior officer.  He's been to Basra, Iraq, five times since the invasion.  He currently serves as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserves) at the Ministry of Defence.  The ultimate insider.  According to the MoD website:

The military runs through the Duke of Westminster like the lettering in a stick of rock.  His family has served in the Cheshire Yeomanry, since they founded it hundreds of years ago.  His father, grandfather and great grandfather all wore the cap badge. (...)

The Duke, who is 53, divides his working day (and frequently the evenings) between his desk in Main Building [at the MoD] and his private office.  He also spends as much time as he can visiting reserve units across the country and on operations all over the world.

So, Robin Cook died on land owned by a senior MoD official.  Given Cooky's views on the Iraq war, I really doubt he would have appreciated the irony.

(One more curiosity about Ben Stack, which I'm almost sure is totally irrelevant but I'll mention it out of ignorance anyway.  Someone who has walked up, photographed and written about Ben Stack finishes their account of it with this....

The final oddity on the summit is a cairn with its own omnidirectional radio antenna.

No, I don't know what an omnidirectional radio antenna is, either, but I'm curious that it's described as an oddity, so I thought I'd mention it anyway.  If anyone can elucidate, please leave a comment.)

After Robin Cook died, the local police released a statement:  "As this would appear to be a medical matter, there is no further police involvement."  "Appear to be"?  Case closed, before it was even opened.  A high-profile former foreign secretary, who had maybe started to spill official secrets, dies unexpectedly, maybe of a broken neck, on land owned by an MoD insider, with an unidentified man, or group, nearby, and the police decide not to get involved.  Probably wise of them, just as I probably shouldn't be writing this down, and you probably shouldn't be reading it.

P.S. [2006.05.19]  Please see later entries:  'Addenda to 'Lingering Questions...' and 'Robin Cook's Mobile Phone'.

Comments

[.]

All very interesting. I suspect much of it may well be down to incorrect press reporting, but it sure does still leave a good few questions unanswered.

[AJD]

An omnidirectional radio antenna is an antenna that can receive (or transmit) signal from all directions equally. Quite why it's up there is anyone's guess, but the picture (on webpage you linked to) isn't high enough resolution to get a good look at it. I agree with the chap above - probably just poor reporting. There's plenty of that about.

[Tony Gosling]

John Smith attended Bilderberg as leader of the opposition and opposed their plans for the world, he insisted on bringing a trusted adviser along the next year to help him put his case to the plutocrats but was dead before the next meeting. He is said to have had a heart attack in his flat in the Barbican centre in London. The ambulance took over 30 minutes to reach him and he was only declared dead quite a time after reaching hospital. I spoke to a friend who was at the hospital and he told me it was the only time he'd seen journalists cry. They felt it was a great tragedy for the nation. This possible assassination opened the way for blue eyed boy Blair who had been prepared for years to take over from Smith by party insiders and apparachiks. rian Gould - Smith's right hand man and economic genius then left Britain to take up a University Chancellorship in New Zealand.

[Douglas Kay]

An omnidirectional antenna is,as the previous poster wrote is one which recieves and transmits signals over 360 degrees. The type fitted to a motor vehicle.It may have been used by the Army or other services for radio comm's and then descarded because of its bulk,or left there for future use.

[Rowena Thursby]

The following comments are from a retired medic and radio ham: An omnidirectional antenna is an inexpensive accessory to everyday radio equipment. It improves reception and transmission in all directions and at a certain frequency; this we don't know, but we could ascertain it if we knew the length of the antenna. Maybe someone left it there by mistake. It's not likely Cook had hypertension and didn't know about it. Hypertension isn't something which just happens, especially if it was, as in his case, associated with changes in the heart. I imagine he did know and he thought that long walks and mountain climbing would be therapeutic. Many people feel they can cure high blood pressure by exercise. Exercise may help when the BP rise is moderate but definitely not if it's severe. Actually, it will make the blood pressure problem worse which I suspect is what happened. I found this article which suggests that the death came "without warning". >>Take Robin Cook, a keen hillwalker who collapsed and died two weeks ago without warning while scaling the mountains that he loved ....<< http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1824442005 When a sudden rise in blood pressure is associated with death, the person is far more likely to have had a stroke (brain haemorrhage) than changes in the heart. Therefore I contend he must have had the blood pressure problem for some years. The idea that he could climb mountains, as the article suggests, does not mean he was "fit". If he did have severe hypertension, sufficient to be noted as a cause of heart failure, I think he was very negligent, in fact crazy, to have gone climbing at all, let alone in such a high and cold place.

[Louise Mclean]

I also am very suspicious about his death. Don't forget that he wrote that article in the Guardian dated 8th July 2005 The struggle against terrorism cannot be won by military means http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1523838,00.html where he said Al Quaeda was only a database of Taliban run by CIA. He must have known what he was talking about being Foreign Secretary for so long. I also read a tiny piece of Ephraim in Daily Mail who said that Robin Cook had been in the middle of writing a book when he died!!

[Paul Becke]

This is truly weird. I'd said to my wife some time ago that I couldn't help wondering if John Smith had been deliberatey murdered. Then, more recently, of course, whether Robin Cook had been officially murdered. In the first case, I found utterly incomprehnsible the manner in which the media (who, if it is true, must have been complicit in his murder) seemed as ecstatically worshipful of the very recent memory of John Smith, when they were entirely, wickedy and shamelessly geared to tout every belief to which he was unambiguously hostile. They seemed to idolise and seek to deify him, as fanatically as they had Hitler and Mussolini prior to WWII! As for the "incorrect press reporting" suggested by others above, that seems the least likely scenario of all; the most suspiciously and conclusively inexplicable. They spend half their working lives generating news out of nothing. People are famously now even famous for being famous! Pages of tripe vilifying Sven Goran Ericson for failing to be the first coach to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, appeared in every paper. Not the players' fault, either, they are held back by the government-driven degeneracy of the nation, a spirit of failure, of losers, who think they're big-time winners, and in their blindness want more of the same. And apparently this righteous outpouring was conclusively confirmed by the fact that he'd been paid the going rate for coaches at that level. He wasn't even paid the more than all the others, as they had mendaciously claimed. I have a certain sympathy for the clandestine services most of the time. They work in a bad world, many doing their best to continue to do the right thing, in the increasingly problematic circumstances. But this recrudescence of fascism is just the pits. I was musing during the day on an article written by a young editor of the Catholic Herald, who was sacked very soon after. He had identified the multinationals as the Beast of the Apocalypse, or maybe the appearance of the progeny of the first Beast, the corporatists of the thirties. Perhaps he was lucky he wasn't "demised".

[akash soni]

I am a journalist and feel so bad about myself for not sensing and doing the right thing on that day. The right thing would have been to go to the place where Robin Cook died. It is a gut feeling that every journalist has, perhaps every thinking man has which tells you something is foul the way Mr Robin Cook has died. We seem to have been taken for a ride on this story. I work for a global media organisation and such stories I feel, are best handled by local media. However, I am not completely surprised at the way Mr Cook's death was handled by the authorities. Efficient, very efficient! So smooth that you begin to even admire them for the most hideous of crimes if this was one, as many of us suspect. Kudos to the writer of the blog! He is brave enough to say this amidst a conspiracy of silence from the most brilliant of minds in Britain and abroad. I can't believe that except for the Channel Four programme on Blair's legacy, and this blog nobody, just NOBODY chooses to speak of the questions related to the death of Mr Robin Cook...and the death of Dr David Kelly. I suppose, the treatment meted out to BBC's Andrew Gilligan was a stark warning to journalists and to organisations. The BBC still seems to be reeling from the aftershocks. Andrew may have been wrong technically, but many people feel he was saying the right thing. Another brave person many respect is Mr Greg Dyke, who left the BBC rather than kowtowing to the authorities. He is the true BBC, not the hollowmen who listen and grovel at the feet of the politicians! May I, talk of some more mysterious deaths. India, the country I come from has had it's own assasinations - atleast 2 of these are those of Prime Ministers. Ms Indira Gandhi and her son Rajeev Gandhi. Three more deaths in the subcontinent are suspicious - those of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi's son and that of the prime minister who preceded Ms Gandhi - Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri. Pakisan's military dictator Zia Ul Haq died in an air accident within months of the cold war ending. The death of Diana the Princess of the hearts of millions again is more than just mysterious. How come nobody! Nobody questions why there is no video footage of the tunnel on the day? How come the light inside the tunnel went off just for a few minutes only in that fateful few minutes?

[ben trigg]

i am in agreement. Cook's was one of those deaths that seemed just a little too neatly packaged by the media to NOT cause suspicion. When he died it just seemed like a sad but unsuspicious thing, when the dude was only 59, and questions of his health (as I am aware so far) are mostly speculated. Thanks for this blog. I agree with the journalist (thanks to you also), that Diana's is a little too suspicious also. Significantly, it is worth heeding what another comment above says about John Smith and particularly the Bilderbergers. If Cook was opposed to foreign policy, he was opposed to the Royal Institute of International Affairs, which is one of the key players with the Bilderbergers in implementing a global government. (If you thought THAT was a myth, you have missed Gordon Brown lately talking openly about the need for a 'New World Order' - i heard it on radio 4 one morning - aside from a host of other evidence.) for some info on that front, and some of that bilderbergers info, see http://www.truthseeker.co.uk/Articles/new_world_order.htm#e and scroll down to 'Bilderberger group'. Thanks again. This matter ain't closed.

[UK Daily Pundit]

Norman Baker, Brighton Argus: "Nagging Doubts" over the death of Robin Cook. http://www.theargus.co.uk/display.var.1327811.0.0.php

[Shameful]

Well done for starting this blog...! I had my own concerns about Robin COok and typed in his name and the phrase "Suspicious death" and here I came... It is quite feasible, to my mind, that the Israeli secret services have duped the Labour Government with false evidence of the threat posed by Iraq. I bet if someone looked deep enough, there would be a link between Chalabi and Israel's Secret Service. It may not be inconveivable that Dr David Kelly and Robin Cook may have been removed to ensure that this was not exposed.

[John Smalls]

Has anyone got anything concrete in relation to Mr.Cook's situation regarding his death? I have heard that Norman Baker (Lib Dem) has commented and is suspicious about the official story but most of the above is pure conjecture;although I was struck by (Kelly's death)by the unidentified walker.

[susannah]

The Russians use the word suicided. One has no intention of killing oneself, so someone generally CIA or M16 do it for you and then the press informs everyone that it was suicide.

[Mr Smith]

Here are todays answers to the murder quiz : Diana Spencer - possibly Robin Cook - possibly John Smith - probably David Kelly - definitely

[Steph]

So do you work for MFI (joke) or any secret agency? Whatever, I found your article 'very interesting' and I did enjoy reading it. Omni has always meant all and the rest is easy to work out. I feel that if you are not part of the 'Dark Lords' group you would make a fine thriller writer. Keep it up and work harder. And if you do ever get published in the block buster sense, please let us know cuss I would enjoy reading it.

[Mitch]

Sorry I'm a bit late joining this party, having got here by surfing for info on Michael Todd (committed 'suicide' by drinking a bottle of champagne on Mount Snowdon) and then reading Norman Baker's comments, but I join my thanks to other commenters on this blog for a revealing and thoughtful article. I am just awaking from the corporate-induced slumber that they say is reality round here and am so overwhelmed by the depravity of so-called elected leaders. You can almost calculate just from how long a politician or public figure is allowed to live how honest they may be, the honest ones die early, in unusual circumstances and often by suicide. It seems to be the Roman style of suicide, either you take the poison or we'll kill you ourselves. Anyone who puts their head above the illuminati/bilderberg parapet is fair game for the assassin slaves. Keep up the good work but look out for the MIB.

[Cupid]

If Assassination it be; then he was probably murdered with an EPR ( electronic pulse rifle) this has an effective range of about 300 yards and can stop a heart instantly. The rifle has been developed as a 'black ops' project and has been around with several refinements since the late seventies. It does not work in urban areas, you have to be the most conductive object in the vicinity. This is the method of assassination I would choose for a hill walker. His wife being present would not affect the outcome.

[douglas kay]

An omnidirectional aerial is simply a metal rod which radiates and receives electromagnetic waves at a frequency depending on it's length. The length would be speed of light divided by frequency. When I read that an aerial was found I immediately became suspicious since who would leave an aerial in such a remote spot. Of course the land owner could have ordered it be left there by the army in order to communicate with other units during deer shooting or whatever the landed gentry shoot. But what I find strange is a man with a heart condition going climbing mountains, it doesn't make sense particularly a man who was a thorn in the side of the Iraq adventurers.

[Mystery Walker]

There may be clandestine forces which were the root cause of Mr Cook's death. I can say that I believe this or previous governments may not have clean hands where their perceived interests are threatened; BUT. Your account, with addenda, uses inaccuracy and lack of knowledge to prise open a lid where there may in fact be none to open. My knowledge of this affair starts at the known time of about 2:20pm that afternoon, 6th August, 2005, and is first hand. If forces you hint at were in operation prior to that time you may make whatever judgements you wish based upon your information. It is not at all surprising that several parties were on Ben Stack simultaneously. Driving past the start point it is not uncommon to see several cars parked - they would have no other purpose for parking there. That I was there was pure chance, but not unexpected. I requested anonymity to avoid being drawn into the whirlwind of inaccuracy upon which the British Press bases itself. Local people knew who I was and what was happening and have not purveyed this incident abroad, so far as I know. The Police spent over one hour interviewing me on the day. They drew their conclusions as they saw fit. Mr Cook lay on the ground about 6 - 8 minutes down from the top. Or, 10 - 12 minutes ascent below the top. One comment Mrs Cook made was that he had had a very slight "bad Turn" a little further down the slope, but he had decided to continue upward. If I were to inject any personal interpretation I would say that he was very familiar with his heart condition over several years and 'knew' his time had come. It would be wrong to venture medical opinion, but it is very possible that Mr Cook was dead before I arrived at the scene. It is possible that Ms Mackintosh of the Ambulance Service guessed / knew this as well - people in this service would be experienced enough to understand a situation from our reactions, descriptions and from what they hear over the phone link. Requesting a lengthy resuscitation I believe was part of keeping us gainfully occupied while waiting for the helicopter. Ben Stack is not remote. I would say High Holborn is remote - a very long train journey from here! And, the ascent of Ben Stack begins only 10 feet from the car parking area. There is the ruin of a radio installation at the summit of Ben Stack. You sir, explain just how much land this landowner owns. Communications would naturally be important. This hilltop would be a suitable site for an antenna. I believe the landowner now relies on satellite communications therefore the radio installation is redundant and in total disrepair. The weather conditions were as described - very good. The Ben was not in sun but views out were clear and patches of sunshine were visible all around. Mr Cook's mischevious use of "foul weather" was just that and Richard Holloway stated such at the funeral. The Cook sons understand a joke even if cynics can't. You, sir, failed to highlight the "wish you were here" words which make this father to son exchange what it was. The ascent / descent is nowhere dangerous. Rock and grass intermingle all the way to the top. There are no unavoidable difficult rocky areas. That said it is steep, even very steep, and any high mountain requires respect and care. Mrs Cook's mobile could not get a signal - she said she tried. I do not know about or cannot recall mention of his. This period was fraught; I was simply glad to get a call through as quickly as possible. This misses the thrust of the sinister import of your message, but I want to praise Ms MacKintosh and the helicopter crew for their efficient and sympathetic service.

[starting to fear my government]

I just heard about Robin Cook's death today, 1 year late, after listening to US Congresswoman McKinney's recollection of his testimony during Congressional hearings on 9/11. Robin had described Al Qaeda as being akin to a CIA rolodex - I'd also found out independently during the week that the name, Al Qaeda, was actually derived from the name given to a '90s CIA database. My immediate reaction after confirming with my father that Robin has passed was that this was either the work of the CIA or MI5. If it was the work of the CIA without UK government knowledge then I hope appropriate measures are being considered. If it was the work of MI5, I hope the truth prevails and they fail in their attempt to suppress knowledge of government wrongdoing, We all now know that Dr Kelly was correct and the Iraq war was based on a lie and we've subsequently bore witness to genocide of over 1 million people for oil by our governments. Now, the US are using microwave beams to literally eviscerate and evaporate human beings and we're supposed to be impressed rather than be horrified at war crimes much worse than anything committed by the Nazis. Around the time of the Warren commission hearings into the JFK assassination, it was disclosed that the CIA had and used guns which could shoot a pinprick dart which would disolve without a trace yet induce a heart attack and death within seconds. Such a weapon, which I suppose is probably old school, has been used for probably 30 years now - that was my immediate knee jerk guess for what happened to Robin before I even read about the nearby anoymous good samaritan (!) who came to their aid. Iraq was a lie based upon 9/11 which was a lie (the nano-thermate fingerprints and WTC7 NIST joke has pretty much blown that open) and the involvement of MI5 handlers and misinformation/obfuscation surrounding 7/7 should be reason enough for doubt. I believe Robin was either killed needlessly (the Genie is already out the bottle) or this was for simple revenge. I fear my government more than I do a handful of religious extremists and unchecked I shudder to think what they will next attempt to try and reel us in. (nano thermates are relatively new and, similar to the anthrax used to get the US Patriot Act through, most certainly don't come from caves in Afghanistan) Thanks very much for the information which wasn't readily available elsewhere but pretty much and sadly supports my own thoughts.

[starting to fear my government]

ps the post above by mystery walker adds substantially to my personal suspicion. I see all the trappings of damage control and the probability that the actual person present would find and then participate in such a discussion seems remote at best to me - especially given the supposed reasons for desiring anonymity! I smell fish getting near.

[John]

I'm also very worried about the actions of 'western powers' and the propaganda to support unjust and immoral actions through-out the world. None of us buy the excuses which the authorities give. All of us know the aim is the creation of an all powerful global organisation so the elite can control the masses. Just a few things they forgot..

[Stan Moss]

Great entry, very insightful and thought-provoking. Also interesting to see that there are masses out there wondering about the same questions... Anyway...if you're interested, this article has been referred to on this website where the subject is also being discussed. Hagley Road to Ladywood http://www.mymarilyn.blogspot.com/2008/11/questions-over-robin-cooks-death.html

[mR e]

Im glad im not the only one who thinks this. well done to you all for courageing up. If you trully want to open up your eyes to see what these people have/are going to do. go to youtube and type in the illuminati project and if it dosent open ur eyes, then you have lived in ignorance. god bless.

[Fran]

If you really want to know about what's going on in this world, watch Zeitgeist, it is an excellent non-fiction documentary: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-594683847743189197 and once you've watched this, watch the sequel: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912