MC KEVITT CHARGED WITH DIRECTING TERRORISM
McKevitt charged with directing terrorism
By Rita O'Reilly
LEADING Real IRA suspect Michael McKevitt was behind bars today after being charged with directing the activities of a terrorist organisation.
McKevitt (51), of Beech Park, Blackrock, Dundalk, Co Louth appeared at a special sitting of the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin last night. He was charged that between August 29,1999 and March 28,2001, both dates inclusive, within the state, he was a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, and that between 29th August 1999 and 23rd October 2000, both dates inclusive, within the state, he directed the activities of the same organisation.
Mr Justice Johnson remanded McKevitt in custody to appear at the court next Tuesday, April 3 for a bail application.
McKevitt, wearing jeans, a casual grey fleece jacket and a black woollen top with a white stripe made no comment save to answer to his name when it was called. Detective Inspector Diarmuid O'Sullivan of the Special Detective Unit, Harcourt Square, Dublin, gave evidence of his arrest of McKevitt on foot of a warrant at around 7am on Thursday morning at his home in Beech Park, Black-rock. Det Insp O'Sullivan said that McKevitt was brought to Balbriggan garda station at 11.35am and his period of detention was extended for another 24 hours at 11.35pm on Thursday night. He said that he released McKevitt from detention last night at 8.10pm and arrested him one minute later at the station to face charges in the Special Criminal Court. Tight security surrounded the Green Street courthouse before and after the brief hearing.
Michael McKevitt is the first person to be charged with directing an unlawful organisation, an offence under Section 6 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998. The amendment was enacted by the Irish government on September 3, 1998, just two weeks after the Omagh bombing of August 15, 1998, which killed 29 people and injured over 200. The so-called Real IRA claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Under the legislation, anyone convicted of directing an unlawful organisation is liable to life imprisonment.
Similar legislation on the British statute books was used to convict loyalist terror leader Johnny Adair of the Ulster Freedom Fighters in 1994. Adair is back in prison after breaking the terms of his release on licence under the Good Friday Agreement.
Michael 'Micky' McKevitt is a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which was set up in 1997. In 1999, he married Ms Bernadette Sands, herself the vice-president of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and a sister of IRA hunger-striker, Bobby Sands.
The couple have three children.
By Rita O'Reilly
LEADING Real IRA suspect Michael McKevitt was behind bars today after being charged with directing the activities of a terrorist organisation.
McKevitt (51), of Beech Park, Blackrock, Dundalk, Co Louth appeared at a special sitting of the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin last night. He was charged that between August 29,1999 and March 28,2001, both dates inclusive, within the state, he was a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, and that between 29th August 1999 and 23rd October 2000, both dates inclusive, within the state, he directed the activities of the same organisation.
Mr Justice Johnson remanded McKevitt in custody to appear at the court next Tuesday, April 3 for a bail application.
McKevitt, wearing jeans, a casual grey fleece jacket and a black woollen top with a white stripe made no comment save to answer to his name when it was called. Detective Inspector Diarmuid O'Sullivan of the Special Detective Unit, Harcourt Square, Dublin, gave evidence of his arrest of McKevitt on foot of a warrant at around 7am on Thursday morning at his home in Beech Park, Black-rock. Det Insp O'Sullivan said that McKevitt was brought to Balbriggan garda station at 11.35am and his period of detention was extended for another 24 hours at 11.35pm on Thursday night. He said that he released McKevitt from detention last night at 8.10pm and arrested him one minute later at the station to face charges in the Special Criminal Court. Tight security surrounded the Green Street courthouse before and after the brief hearing.
Michael McKevitt is the first person to be charged with directing an unlawful organisation, an offence under Section 6 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998. The amendment was enacted by the Irish government on September 3, 1998, just two weeks after the Omagh bombing of August 15, 1998, which killed 29 people and injured over 200. The so-called Real IRA claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Under the legislation, anyone convicted of directing an unlawful organisation is liable to life imprisonment.
Similar legislation on the British statute books was used to convict loyalist terror leader Johnny Adair of the Ulster Freedom Fighters in 1994. Adair is back in prison after breaking the terms of his release on licence under the Good Friday Agreement.
Michael 'Micky' McKevitt is a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which was set up in 1997. In 1999, he married Ms Bernadette Sands, herself the vice-president of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and a sister of IRA hunger-striker, Bobby Sands.
The couple have three children.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0771
Published Date: 31-Mar-01
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