Operation Tân
Operation Tân was the name of a series of police raids in Wales between 1 October 1979 and 30 September 1980. The aim of the operation was to identify members of Meibion Glyndwr, a Welsh Nationalist group responsible for burning English Holiday homes within the Welsh countryside.
In the backdrop of the arson campaign by the Meibion Glyndwr, the efforts of the British state to ascertain those responsible for the attacks had remained fruitless. In a move that has been criticised as a more generalised trawl of left and nationalist milieux within Wales, the authorities enacted a series arrests against those believed to be responsible or in knowledge of the perpetrators of the campaign.
The overseer of Operation Tân was the head of Dyfed-Powys Police, who controversially forbade detained suspects from accessing legal counsel under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1974. The Welsh Campaign for Civil and Political Liberties would give voice to those rounded up during Operation Tân.
Palm Sunday
The most infamous instance of these roundups occurred during March 30th, 1980; now infamously referred to as the 'Palm Sunday arrests' in which around 50 individuals targeted based upon their political affiliations.John Jenkins, Emyr Llywelyn Jones and Owain Williams, all former members of the Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru, were rounded up by the authorities. Beside a number suspects being prominent militant nationalists, many more arrested had no role in direct-action politics. Members of the Adfer and Cofwin organisations were targeted as were Robat and Enid Gruffudd of the Y Lolfa publishing company for what would be an apparent gathering of intelligence on both nationalists and left-wing activities.
Substantial accusations of political policing were made against the state and the authorities, with arrests being seen as a purge of left-wing activists due to those arrested claiming that their membership within political organisations such as the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement and Plaid Cymru as well as their stance on the Conservative Party took precedent over any affiliation with the burnings.