OMAGH ACCUSED PLOTTED TO STRIKE AGAINST ENGLAND
Omagh accused 'plotted to strike against England'
DISSIDENT republicans discussed a possible plot to poison the water supply in London, the High Court heard yesterday.
Undercover agent David Rupert also claimed he was told of plans to attack a train loaded with nuclear waste and to spread foot and mouth disease.
The allegations from Mr Rupert, who infiltrated dissident ranks for the FBI, were disclosed at the Omagh bomb civil action in Belfast.
With the American spy on a witness protection programme after testifying at the criminal trial of convicted Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt, his statements and emails to handlers were read out by lawyers.
One batch referred to meetings Mr Rupert claimed he had with a number of other republicans opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process during the 1990s.
He wrote at one stage: "Some days you think nothing is going to happen then it all falls in your lap."
A prominent Continuity IRA man was said to have told him how valuable any strike on a British target was regarded.
"He said one bullet fired in England was worth more than five car bombs in the north (of Ireland)," Mr Rupert stated in correspondence.
Brett Lockhart QC, for families whose loved ones were among the 29 people killed in the August 1998 Omagh atrocity, detailed the lengths the dissidents were prepared to go to, according to the mole.
In a statement read to the court Mr Rupert claimed they confided in him about a "proposed attack on a train carrying nuclear waste and also on the water supply in London".
The rogue republican who allegedly revealed the plans to him did not say what they would use to poison the system but insisted they had the technology, the court heard.
Another alleged scheme involved spreading foot and mouth disease through parts of England, the spy said.
He claimed their worry with this was that the infection could travel across to Ireland.
Some of the relatives who are seeking multi-million pound damages against McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Seamus McKenna, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly were in court to hear the claims.
All five defendants deny liability for the bombing.
Another piece of correspondence read in court dealt with a lengthy meeting Mr Rupert claims he and his partner had with a dissident republican not named in the action and his wife.
"We were with him for five hours and he talked almost exclusively about the military. As Maureen says, what a nice couple of terrorists," he stated.
Later in the proceedings, Michael O'Higgins SC, for McKevitt, made an application under the Hague Convention to have Mr Rupert cross-examined and for FBI documents to be disclosed.
Mr Justice Declan Morgan, the trial judge, indicated that he was minded to ask the US authorities to make the agent be made available for cross-examination.
A ruling on whether to request the documents would be made by next month.
The trial continues.
DISSIDENT republicans discussed a possible plot to poison the water supply in London, the High Court heard yesterday.
Undercover agent David Rupert also claimed he was told of plans to attack a train loaded with nuclear waste and to spread foot and mouth disease.
The allegations from Mr Rupert, who infiltrated dissident ranks for the FBI, were disclosed at the Omagh bomb civil action in Belfast.
With the American spy on a witness protection programme after testifying at the criminal trial of convicted Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt, his statements and emails to handlers were read out by lawyers.
One batch referred to meetings Mr Rupert claimed he had with a number of other republicans opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process during the 1990s.
He wrote at one stage: "Some days you think nothing is going to happen then it all falls in your lap."
A prominent Continuity IRA man was said to have told him how valuable any strike on a British target was regarded.
"He said one bullet fired in England was worth more than five car bombs in the north (of Ireland)," Mr Rupert stated in correspondence.
Brett Lockhart QC, for families whose loved ones were among the 29 people killed in the August 1998 Omagh atrocity, detailed the lengths the dissidents were prepared to go to, according to the mole.
In a statement read to the court Mr Rupert claimed they confided in him about a "proposed attack on a train carrying nuclear waste and also on the water supply in London".
The rogue republican who allegedly revealed the plans to him did not say what they would use to poison the system but insisted they had the technology, the court heard.
Another alleged scheme involved spreading foot and mouth disease through parts of England, the spy said.
He claimed their worry with this was that the infection could travel across to Ireland.
Some of the relatives who are seeking multi-million pound damages against McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Seamus McKenna, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly were in court to hear the claims.
All five defendants deny liability for the bombing.
Another piece of correspondence read in court dealt with a lengthy meeting Mr Rupert claims he and his partner had with a dissident republican not named in the action and his wife.
"We were with him for five hours and he talked almost exclusively about the military. As Maureen says, what a nice couple of terrorists," he stated.
Later in the proceedings, Michael O'Higgins SC, for McKevitt, made an application under the Hague Convention to have Mr Rupert cross-examined and for FBI documents to be disclosed.
Mr Justice Declan Morgan, the trial judge, indicated that he was minded to ask the US authorities to make the agent be made available for cross-examination.
A ruling on whether to request the documents would be made by next month.
The trial continues.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0955
Published Date: 26-Jun-08
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