ShellNews.net: Shell spooks

Tuesday 23 January 2007

Live Chat Guest 7018 asks: “are there really spooks watching this site? is that just a scare story from donovans?

Reply from Alfred and John Donovan…

We have made no such claim or allegation. The short answer is that we do not know.

We are aware that Shell monitors the site. That of course is unsurprising.

We did catch a Shell spook red-handed several years ago. He used false credentials and fake documents during his visit to our offices but got caught inspecting private mail. Shell General Counsel Richard Wiseman admitted in writing the “activities “of a Shell undercover agent, after being cornered by our lawyers. Shell’s solicitors DJ Freeman (now known as Kendall Freeman) made a similar admittance in writing and astonishingly tried to intimidate us by warning in the same letter that other Shell agents were also on our case. Shell refused to reveal the scope of the spying activities. This form of intimidation was used against us in the run up to a High Court trial in1999 after we had once again sued Shell for stealing our intellectual property. Shell had already settled our first SIX court actions (which included claims for libel and breach of contract).

In case anyone doubts the facts set out herein, we have documenary evidence to support everything we say.

Does guest 7018 consider it is more, or less likely, given the information above and more recent events listed below, that Shell would continue to use “spooks” to “monitor” our activities? 

Our website has recently been described by a respected independent journalist Derek Brower, as an “open wound for Shell”. (08/01/2007 BUSINESS NEW EUROPE: Shell gets stuck in a Sakhalin blog-mire) Further articles by Mr Brower on the same subject are in the pipeline.

EIGHT Royal Dutch Shell companies have served multiple High Court Injunctions against a Shell whistleblower, Dr John Huong, in respect of postings made under his name on this site. He is currently under threat of being imprisoned for contempt of court.

The same EIGHT companies have an application before the High Court on 8th February for Alfred Donovan, who will be 90 years old in April, to be compelled to travel to Malaysia for cross examination in the Dr Huong case. There is also an implied threat to bring contempt of court proceedings against Alfred if he were foolish enough to make the trip.

Our website is a magnet to parties trying to have a positive dialogue with Shell e.g. the WWF, US PIRG and The World Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility.

It is also used by parties disenchanted by the vast gap between Shell PR rhetoric versus harsh reality e.g.  MOSOP and NUOS International (USA) who strongly object to Shell’s longstanding plunder and pollution of the Nigerian Delta.

Likewise current and former Shell employees who have realised that the pledges of honesty, openness and integrity in Shell’s General Business Principles, actually translate into a senior management culture of deceit and cover-up, as per the reserves fraud.

Our website has played a leading role in the world-wide humiliation of Shell and the downgrading of its involvement in the Sakhalin II project at a COST OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.  From being the majority shareholder in Sakhalin II Shell is now a humble junior partner. Shell management played into the Kremlins hands by engaging in deceit and cover-up over project costs.

Our website helped produce the evidence which allowed the main class action lawsuit to proceed in respect of the reserves fraud.

It also found, in time to meet a US Federal Court deadline, a Shell stock holder to represent all non-US Shell stockholders in a historic expanded class action on a global basis. Shell has already set aside $500 million to settle the claim. It will not be enough.

Shell’s own “website effectiveness consultant”, Mr David Bowen (a regular guest columnist for the Financial Times) is on record as stating that our efforts at being a “thorn in the flesh” of Shell are “highly effective”.

This website is one of only two recommended by Fortune Magazine for information about Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/07/24/8381730/index.htm
The other is http://www.shell.com/

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.