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The Army of the Provisional Government (APG), popularly known as the "Tartan Army", is a Scottish nationalist paramilitary group responsible for various bomb threats and extremist activity. The group was founded in the late 1960s / early 1970s by radical leader, Fredrick Boothby.

Activity

The Tartan Army emerged as a fringe nationalist offshoot of the group known as the 1320 Club in Scotland during the latter half of the twentieth century, amidst the backdrop of growing Scottish nationalism. Led by Frederick Alexander Colquhoun Boothby, a figure with far-right political leanings, the group operated clandestinely within the broader political landscape. Initially lacking substantial organization, their activities ranged from hoax bomb threats to vandalism. However, their tactics escalated in 1975 with bombings targeting critical infrastructure such as electricity pylons and oil pipelines. These actions not only drained the group's funds but also led to a failed bank robbery attempt, resulting in Boothby's arrest and subsequent conviction for conspiracy.

It was formed by Boothby without the knowledge of the other members of the 1320 Club group. Boothby took advice from Matt Lygate of the Workers Party of Scotland, though Lygate did not directly involve himself in the group's activities, possibly due to Boothby's far-right political leanings. However, Lygate publicly defended the paramilitary actions of Boothby's group.

Initially, the Tartan Army had little substance and engaged in relatively minor activities such as hoax bomb threats and vandalism like throwing bricks through windows. However, in 1975, the group escalated their actions to bombings targeting electricity pylons and oil pipelines. These activities drained the group's funds, leading them to attempt a bank robbery to obtain more cash. However, the attempted robbery failed as the targeted bank was closed, resulting in Boothby's arrest.

Boothby was subsequently convicted of conspiracy and received a surprisingly light sentence of three years.

Doubts have since arisen regarding Boothby's allegiance, with some suggesting he may have been a double-agent working for the British secret service during his paramilitary activities. These doubts were expressed as early as 1972 by Hugh MacDiarmid, an influential supporter of the 1320 Club, who wrote in the club's magazine about the need to expose and remove Boothby if he was indeed playing a double game.