MAN BEHIND BOMBING SOUGHT LIBYAN SUPPORT
Man 'behind bombing' sought Libyan support
By TOM BRADY, Security Editor
THE head of the republican terrorist group behind the Omagh bombing, the self styled Oglaigh na hEireann, is now known to have been directly involved in talks with the Libyans to secure financial and ordnance support for his splinter organisation.
The new godfather of terror, a county Louth businessman, is believed by anti-terrorist officers to have taken part in talks earlier this year with Libyan representatives overseas in an effort to achieve backing for his fledgling outfit. Libyan leader Moammar Ghadaffi is widely believed to have assisted guerrilla groups in the past. A former quartermaster general of the Provisional IRA, he was first revealed as the leader of the dissident group by the Irish Independent last November.
He was already well known to the Libyans and had been involved in talks with them in Malta and elsewhere in the mid-1980s as part of his then role as IRA quartermaster general.
As a direct result of those talks four shipments of arms and explosives, totalling 134 tonnes of weaponry, were sent here from Libya and landed on the Arklow coastline in 1985 and 1986.
The shipments evaded the detection of the vast resources of British intelligence and did not come to the attention of the security forces until a garda investigation was carried out into the seizure by a French coastguard patrol of the fifth gun-running shipment on board the Eksund in October 1987.
The shipments were regarded as a major coup for the quartermaster and it is thought that his recent talks were an attempt to renew old contacts and fund and arm his organisation without risking retribution from the Provisionals by raiding their dumps.
Although he has never been convicted of a terrorist offence, he was arrested in 1988 by gardai under the Offences Against the State Act along with another senior Provisional IRA figure in county Monaghan.
Both were questioned about suspected IRA membership but were released without charge because of lack of evidence.
Originally from the North where he was shot in both legs by members of the Official IRA in a republican feud in 1975, he later moved to a comfortable home in north Louth.
Last October the quartermaster, who was staunchly opposed to the acceptance of the Mitchell principles, was outmanoeuvred by the Provisional leadership during a major row at a special IRA army convention in west Donegal. He was then forced to resign from his position on the IRA's ruling 12-person army executive.
This led to a serious rift within the Provisionals with 20 senior personnel resigning from the organisation. The former chief of staff from Scotstown, Co Monaghan, also stepped down from his position, mainly on health grounds.
The quartermaster quickly set about using his considerable contacts and his background of lengthy service with the Provisionals to set up his new organisation which was established in November and became known later as Oglaigh na hEireann.
With the help of his supporters around Dundalk and the aid of experienced activists from south Armagh, he attracted other key personnel including the former head of the IRA's engineering unit, a man from Inchicore, Dublin, who also has no terrorist convictions and will be a key target for the proposed crackdown by the Irish and British Governments culminating in a 100-strong group.
By TOM BRADY, Security Editor
THE head of the republican terrorist group behind the Omagh bombing, the self styled Oglaigh na hEireann, is now known to have been directly involved in talks with the Libyans to secure financial and ordnance support for his splinter organisation.
The new godfather of terror, a county Louth businessman, is believed by anti-terrorist officers to have taken part in talks earlier this year with Libyan representatives overseas in an effort to achieve backing for his fledgling outfit. Libyan leader Moammar Ghadaffi is widely believed to have assisted guerrilla groups in the past. A former quartermaster general of the Provisional IRA, he was first revealed as the leader of the dissident group by the Irish Independent last November.
He was already well known to the Libyans and had been involved in talks with them in Malta and elsewhere in the mid-1980s as part of his then role as IRA quartermaster general.
As a direct result of those talks four shipments of arms and explosives, totalling 134 tonnes of weaponry, were sent here from Libya and landed on the Arklow coastline in 1985 and 1986.
The shipments evaded the detection of the vast resources of British intelligence and did not come to the attention of the security forces until a garda investigation was carried out into the seizure by a French coastguard patrol of the fifth gun-running shipment on board the Eksund in October 1987.
The shipments were regarded as a major coup for the quartermaster and it is thought that his recent talks were an attempt to renew old contacts and fund and arm his organisation without risking retribution from the Provisionals by raiding their dumps.
Although he has never been convicted of a terrorist offence, he was arrested in 1988 by gardai under the Offences Against the State Act along with another senior Provisional IRA figure in county Monaghan.
Both were questioned about suspected IRA membership but were released without charge because of lack of evidence.
Originally from the North where he was shot in both legs by members of the Official IRA in a republican feud in 1975, he later moved to a comfortable home in north Louth.
Last October the quartermaster, who was staunchly opposed to the acceptance of the Mitchell principles, was outmanoeuvred by the Provisional leadership during a major row at a special IRA army convention in west Donegal. He was then forced to resign from his position on the IRA's ruling 12-person army executive.
This led to a serious rift within the Provisionals with 20 senior personnel resigning from the organisation. The former chief of staff from Scotstown, Co Monaghan, also stepped down from his position, mainly on health grounds.
The quartermaster quickly set about using his considerable contacts and his background of lengthy service with the Provisionals to set up his new organisation which was established in November and became known later as Oglaigh na hEireann.
With the help of his supporters around Dundalk and the aid of experienced activists from south Armagh, he attracted other key personnel including the former head of the IRA's engineering unit, a man from Inchicore, Dublin, who also has no terrorist convictions and will be a key target for the proposed crackdown by the Irish and British Governments culminating in a 100-strong group.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/179
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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