Nicholas Davies
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Davies, also known as Nick Davies, is a journalist and author, formerly foreign editor at the Daily Mirror. He was closely associated with Robert Maxwell
, and was the centre of considerable UK media attention in 1991 after he was accused in Seymour Hersh
's book The Samson Option of involvement in Israeli arms deals and of passing the location of Mordechai Vanunu
to Mossad
. In response, Maxwell and Davies sued for libel, although Davies did not pursue the case and Mirror Group apologised and settled on behalf of Maxwell after his death.
He was named by Ari Ben-Menashe
as his business partner in 'Profits of War', in relation to Iran-Contra and the sale of PROMIS
the first computer spyware.,this was also mentioned in Robert Maxwell, Israel's Superspy: The Life and Murder of a Media Mogul by Gordon Thomas. These accounts by Ben-Menashe and Thomas do not necessarily tally but give a general picture of illicit arms dealing and espionage.
Ben-Menashe posted seven documents relating to sales of arms by Nicholas Davies, sometimes signing himself as Davis, on this site:
http://www.american-buddha.com/lit.profitswar.app.htm
and Mail, and joined Mirror Group Newspapers
in 1961 as as a foreign correspondent and investigative reporter. He served as foreign editor of the Daily Mirror for 14 years until he was sacked by Maxwell in 1991 at the age of 52. Davies later went on to publish stories of working with Maxwell, as well as books about the British Royal Family
and Northern Ireland
.
Davies was first in the mass media to identify the victim of the 2007 royal blackmail plot
, despite a court order preventing naming in the UK.
He was referred to as "Kite" by satirical magazine Private Eye
because his stories were supposed to be "fliers". He has been confused with another British journalist of the same name when they were working in the same building.
. They divorced in 1991. Davies lived in Brighton
in 1993.
In a 1992 article for the Washington Post, Christopher Hitchens
describes Davies as a "polo-playing friend of Prince Charles".
Robert Maxwell
Ian Robert Maxwell MC was a Czechoslovakian-born British media proprietor and former Member of Parliament , who rose from poverty to build an extensive publishing empire...
, and was the centre of considerable UK media attention in 1991 after he was accused in Seymour Hersh
Seymour Hersh
Seymour Myron Hersh is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and author based in Washington, D.C. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker magazine on military and security matters...
's book The Samson Option of involvement in Israeli arms deals and of passing the location of Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu ; is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and kidnapped by...
to Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
. In response, Maxwell and Davies sued for libel, although Davies did not pursue the case and Mirror Group apologised and settled on behalf of Maxwell after his death.
He was named by Ari Ben-Menashe
Ari Ben-Menashe
Ari Ben-Menashe is the author of Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network, a book purporting to describe his involvement in Iran-Contra and other intelligence operations. An Iraqi Jew who was educated in Israel, he is a former Israeli government employee, and has said that he...
as his business partner in 'Profits of War', in relation to Iran-Contra and the sale of PROMIS
PROMIS
PROMIS may refer to:* Prosecutor's Management Information System, developed by Inslaw* Problem-Oriented Medical Information System, developed at the University of Vermont...
the first computer spyware.,this was also mentioned in Robert Maxwell, Israel's Superspy: The Life and Murder of a Media Mogul by Gordon Thomas. These accounts by Ben-Menashe and Thomas do not necessarily tally but give a general picture of illicit arms dealing and espionage.
Ben-Menashe posted seven documents relating to sales of arms by Nicholas Davies, sometimes signing himself as Davis, on this site:
http://www.american-buddha.com/lit.profitswar.app.htm
Career
Davies began his career with the Birmingham PostBirmingham Post
The Birmingham Post newspaper was originally published under the name Daily Post in Birmingham, England, in 1857 by John Frederick Feeney. It was the largest selling broadsheet in the West Midlands, though it faced little if any competition in this category. It changed to tabloid size in 2008...
and Mail, and joined Mirror Group Newspapers
Trinity Mirror
Trinity Mirror plc is a large British newspaper and magazine publisher. It is Britain's biggest newspaper group, publishing 240 regional papers as well as the national Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People, and the Scottish Sunday Mail and Daily Record. Its headquarters are at Canary Wharf in...
in 1961 as as a foreign correspondent and investigative reporter. He served as foreign editor of the Daily Mirror for 14 years until he was sacked by Maxwell in 1991 at the age of 52. Davies later went on to publish stories of working with Maxwell, as well as books about the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Davies was first in the mass media to identify the victim of the 2007 royal blackmail plot
2007 royal blackmail plot
The 2007 royal blackmail plot was a UK scandal in which two men attempted to blackmail a relation of the British Royal Family. The relative of the royal family was alleged to have been involved in activities involving drug taking, performing oral sex on a male aide and other things.Buckingham...
, despite a court order preventing naming in the UK.
He was referred to as "Kite" by satirical magazine Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
because his stories were supposed to be "fliers". He has been confused with another British journalist of the same name when they were working in the same building.
Personal life
Davies's second wife was the actress Janet FieldingJanet Fielding
Janet Fielding is an Australian actress, known for her role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as Tegan Jovanka, a companion of the Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, and the Fifth Doctor, played by Peter Davison. She was born in Brisbane...
. They divorced in 1991. Davies lived in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
in 1993.
In a 1992 article for the Washington Post, Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens is an Anglo-American author and journalist whose books, essays, and journalistic career span more than four decades. He has been a columnist and literary critic at The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry, and became a media fellow at the...
describes Davies as a "polo-playing friend of Prince Charles".
External links
- http://www.salon.com/people/bc/2000/01/18/hersh/print.html