Meibion Glyndŵr (, also known by its translation Sons of Glyndŵr) was a Welsh nationalist group which carried out more than 200 arson attacks against English-owned holiday cottages in Wales. The organisation was founded in 1979, during a period of increasing nationalist sentiment in Wales. During this period, significant elements of Welsh public opinion were opposed to the purchase of holiday cottages in Wales by English people, perceiving it as being a major cause in increasing Wales' house prices. Members of Meibion Glyndŵr were responsible for setting fire to several English-owned properties in Wales from 1979 to the mid-1990s, with only one person connected to the group being arrested.

History

The group first came to prominence in 1979 after the Welsh devolution referendum. In the first wave of attacks, eight English-owned holiday homes were destroyed within the space of a month. In 1980, Welsh police carried out a series of raids in Operation Tân ("fire") in an effort to find the culprits. As part of the operation, Welsh nationalist and publisher Robat Gruffudd and his wife, Enid, were arrested and interrogated. The police were not able to find any evidence of the Gruffudds' involvement in the arson and released them; they were also compensated for their time. Within the next ten years around 220 properties were damaged by the campaign. It peaked in the late 1980s with the targeting of Conservative MPs' homes with letter bombs, most notably David Hunt, the then Welsh secretary, who was targeted in 1990. Four separate movements claimed responsibility for the bombings: Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru ("movement to defend Wales"), Cadwyr Cymru ("keepers of Wales"), Meibion Glyndŵr, and the Welsh Army for the Workers Republic (WAWR), whose attacks were on political targets in the early 1980s. Meibion Glyndŵr was the only group to have any claim to long-term success, although since the mid-1990s the group has been inactive, and Welsh nationalist violence has ceased, at least on an organisational level. Letters claiming responsibility for attacks were signed "Rhys Gethin", in homage to one of Owain Glyndŵr's most prominent followers. A reinvestigation into postal bombings led to the conviction of Sion Aubrey Roberts in 1993. Roberts was sentenced to 12 years but was released after serving 8 years. He has maintained his innocence while expressing sympathy for Meibion Glyndŵr's cause.

Armed campaign

Books