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Ronald Payne, universally known as Ronnie, who has died aged 87, was an outstanding authority on every kind of espionage. His books on the subject started with one about the industrial kind, Private Spies (1967). This he wrote by himself, but he later drew on an active reporting career and collaborated with others, principally Kit (Christopher) Dobson, his partner in an admired Sunday Telegraph column in the 1970s and 80s.Ronald Payne, universally known as Ronnie, who has died aged 87, was an outstanding authority on every kind of espionage. His books on the subject started with one about the industrial kind, Private Spies (1967). This he wrote by himself, but he later drew on an active reporting career and collaborated with others, principally Kit (Christopher) Dobson, his partner in an admired Sunday Telegraph column in the 1970s and 80s.
Their bestseller The Carlos Complex (1977) investigated the world of Illich Ramírez Sánchez, "Carlos the Jackal", from Soviet-sponsored training camps and indoctrination centres to a centre in Cuba and involvement with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. It also charted the vicious eccentricity of European groups, primarily the Baader-Meinhof organisation in Germany. The point of Sánchez's style of terrorism, they argued, was not so much the actual death and damage inflicted as the element of theatre. The killings and bombs were directed at the onlookers, a public that should be intimidated, literally terrorised.Their bestseller The Carlos Complex (1977) investigated the world of Illich Ramírez Sánchez, "Carlos the Jackal", from Soviet-sponsored training camps and indoctrination centres to a centre in Cuba and involvement with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. It also charted the vicious eccentricity of European groups, primarily the Baader-Meinhof organisation in Germany. The point of Sánchez's style of terrorism, they argued, was not so much the actual death and damage inflicted as the element of theatre. The killings and bombs were directed at the onlookers, a public that should be intimidated, literally terrorised.
When Payne and Dobson first wrote in such terms, they risked being accused of paranoia. But they had acquired their evidence carefully, and the argument has stood the test of time.When Payne and Dobson first wrote in such terms, they risked being accused of paranoia. But they had acquired their evidence carefully, and the argument has stood the test of time.
The background to the Carlos era was far-left politics. However, Payne and Dobson were as perceptive in their later book, Never-ending War (1987), providing early warning of the religious turn that professional terror would take.The background to the Carlos era was far-left politics. However, Payne and Dobson were as perceptive in their later book, Never-ending War (1987), providing early warning of the religious turn that professional terror would take.
Born in Ripon, Ronnie was the son of a Primitive Methodist minister, Richard Payne, and taken on a temperance march as a baby. He attended a number of schools according to his father's succeeding pulpits and finished off at Bedford school. War service was quietly distinguished. Joining the Royal Marines, though narrowly missing D-day, he fought through Holland and was promoted to the rank of captain. After demob, he read history at Jesus College, Oxford.Born in Ripon, Ronnie was the son of a Primitive Methodist minister, Richard Payne, and taken on a temperance march as a baby. He attended a number of schools according to his father's succeeding pulpits and finished off at Bedford school. War service was quietly distinguished. Joining the Royal Marines, though narrowly missing D-day, he fought through Holland and was promoted to the rank of captain. After demob, he read history at Jesus College, Oxford.
Ronnie's career in journalism began at the Reading Mercury, under the editorship of Bob Edwards, who went on usefully about accuracy. However, the key move came in 1953, from the Evening Standard to the Daily Telegraph, which sent him to Paris for 20 years. A visit to Egypt in 1956, just before Anthony Eden's deluded invasion of Suez, set him up very properly at the elite Shepherd's hotel. When the paratroops descended, a crowd of waiters chanting, "Death to the British," broke off for one of them to say solicitously, "Not you, Mr Payne."Ronnie's career in journalism began at the Reading Mercury, under the editorship of Bob Edwards, who went on usefully about accuracy. However, the key move came in 1953, from the Evening Standard to the Daily Telegraph, which sent him to Paris for 20 years. A visit to Egypt in 1956, just before Anthony Eden's deluded invasion of Suez, set him up very properly at the elite Shepherd's hotel. When the paratroops descended, a crowd of waiters chanting, "Death to the British," broke off for one of them to say solicitously, "Not you, Mr Payne."
The Algerian war of independence provided great opportunities for a young journalist to make a name. With treasonable generals and a large number of white settlers opposed to abandoning the colony, events conspired to bring General Charles De Gaulle to power in 1958, with election to the presidency the following year. De Gaulle achieved a settlement with the Algerians that made France the subject of prospective civil war, so giving the Telegraph's man the chance to file successive lead stories.The Algerian war of independence provided great opportunities for a young journalist to make a name. With treasonable generals and a large number of white settlers opposed to abandoning the colony, events conspired to bring General Charles De Gaulle to power in 1958, with election to the presidency the following year. De Gaulle achieved a settlement with the Algerians that made France the subject of prospective civil war, so giving the Telegraph's man the chance to file successive lead stories.
Time spent in Algiers itself was genuinely dangerous, given both the official rebels and the pieds noirs French colonials, generally fascist-leaning during the second world war, now maddened by metropolitan abandonment. Payne was captured by a group of them and escaped from a darkened cellar with what he described as a mixture of cunning and bribery.Time spent in Algiers itself was genuinely dangerous, given both the official rebels and the pieds noirs French colonials, generally fascist-leaning during the second world war, now maddened by metropolitan abandonment. Payne was captured by a group of them and escaped from a darkened cellar with what he described as a mixture of cunning and bribery.
The six-day war of 1967 brought Payne into close contact with a celebrating General Ariel Sharon. Soon after Muammar Gaddafi came to power in 1969, Payne trailed the new military Libyan despot, and wrote a piece pointing out that the supplier of aid to the IRA thought that the UK ruled all Ireland including Dublin, and was repressing both Catholics and Protestants.The six-day war of 1967 brought Payne into close contact with a celebrating General Ariel Sharon. Soon after Muammar Gaddafi came to power in 1969, Payne trailed the new military Libyan despot, and wrote a piece pointing out that the supplier of aid to the IRA thought that the UK ruled all Ireland including Dublin, and was repressing both Catholics and Protestants.
These days close to the action provided detailed familiarity with the territory where so much of the terrorism in his books was to be rooted, and an expertise he could draw on. Later job moves, though producing good stories and well-enough paid, also involved serving eccentrics such as James Goldsmith and Robert Maxwell at, respectively, Now! magazine, from 1979, and the European, from 1990 – though the latter called for too much rewriting of incoherent offerings from friends of the proprietor.These days close to the action provided detailed familiarity with the territory where so much of the terrorism in his books was to be rooted, and an expertise he could draw on. Later job moves, though producing good stories and well-enough paid, also involved serving eccentrics such as James Goldsmith and Robert Maxwell at, respectively, Now! magazine, from 1979, and the European, from 1990 – though the latter called for too much rewriting of incoherent offerings from friends of the proprietor.
Ronnie's first two marriages ended in divorce. In 1975 he married Celia Haddon, whom he saluted with a rather different sort of book, One Hundred Ways to Live With a Cat Addict (2004). She survives him.Ronnie's first two marriages ended in divorce. In 1975 he married Celia Haddon, whom he saluted with a rather different sort of book, One Hundred Ways to Live With a Cat Addict (2004). She survives him.
• Ronald Staveley Payne, journalist and author, born 6 February 1926; died 25 May 2013• Ronald Staveley Payne, journalist and author, born 6 February 1926; died 25 May 2013
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