DISSIDENTS PLANNED TO SHIP GUNS TO DONEGAL SCHOOL
Dissidents 'planned to ship guns to Donegal school'
DISSIDENT republicans planned to ship weapons and ammunition from the United States to a school in Donegal, the Omagh civil trial heard yesterday.
Evidence was heard in the action, in which five men said to be responsible for the worst atrocity of the Troubles are being sued by relatives of some of the victims that the address of the school in Ballyshannon was given to an FBI agent who infiltrated the Real IRA.
The court, sitting in Dublin, was told that David Rupert passed the evidence on to gardai.
Michael McKevitt, the alleged leader of the Real IRA, Liam Campbell, said to be his number two, Colm Murphy, Seamus McKenna and Seamus Daly all deny any involvement in the bomb attack in the Co Tyrone town on a busy Saturday afternoon in August 1998.
Superintendent Diarmuid O'Sullivan said five statements were taken from Rupert who handed over an envelope containing documents including a business card allegedly given by veteran republican Joe O'Neill with "Kathleen Askin, Vocational School, College Street, Ballyshannon" handwritten at the top.
Ms Askin was Mr O'Neill's sister and a teacher at the school, to which David Rupert was to ship military supplies from the US for the Continuity IRA, it was alleged.
Mr O'Sullivan said Mr Rupert identified three properties in Dundalk, Co Louth - including McKevitt's family home - which he claimed he knew from involvement with the dissident republican group.
When later arrested McKevitt told gardai that he could not recall meeting Mr Rupert, who is 6ft 7ins tall.
McKevitt was jailed for 20 years in August 2003 for directing terrorism.
Mr Rupert's evidence was key in McKevitt's trial, which was unrelated to the Omagh bombing.
His original testimony was heavily criticised at the time.
Michael O'Higgins SC, for McKevitt, accused senior gardai of not investigating the agent's credibility.
Mr O'Sullivan said Rupert was still a reliable witness as 90 per cent of his evidence could be collaborated.
DISSIDENT republicans planned to ship weapons and ammunition from the United States to a school in Donegal, the Omagh civil trial heard yesterday.
Evidence was heard in the action, in which five men said to be responsible for the worst atrocity of the Troubles are being sued by relatives of some of the victims that the address of the school in Ballyshannon was given to an FBI agent who infiltrated the Real IRA.
The court, sitting in Dublin, was told that David Rupert passed the evidence on to gardai.
Michael McKevitt, the alleged leader of the Real IRA, Liam Campbell, said to be his number two, Colm Murphy, Seamus McKenna and Seamus Daly all deny any involvement in the bomb attack in the Co Tyrone town on a busy Saturday afternoon in August 1998.
Superintendent Diarmuid O'Sullivan said five statements were taken from Rupert who handed over an envelope containing documents including a business card allegedly given by veteran republican Joe O'Neill with "Kathleen Askin, Vocational School, College Street, Ballyshannon" handwritten at the top.
Ms Askin was Mr O'Neill's sister and a teacher at the school, to which David Rupert was to ship military supplies from the US for the Continuity IRA, it was alleged.
Mr O'Sullivan said Mr Rupert identified three properties in Dundalk, Co Louth - including McKevitt's family home - which he claimed he knew from involvement with the dissident republican group.
When later arrested McKevitt told gardai that he could not recall meeting Mr Rupert, who is 6ft 7ins tall.
McKevitt was jailed for 20 years in August 2003 for directing terrorism.
Mr Rupert's evidence was key in McKevitt's trial, which was unrelated to the Omagh bombing.
His original testimony was heavily criticised at the time.
Michael O'Higgins SC, for McKevitt, accused senior gardai of not investigating the agent's credibility.
Mr O'Sullivan said Rupert was still a reliable witness as 90 per cent of his evidence could be collaborated.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0934
Published Date: 15-May-08
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