SPY BANNED FROM OMAGH CIVIL CASE
Spy banned from Omagh civil case
BY ALAN ERWIN
A SPY who testified against convicted Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt has been forbidden by the FBI from appearing at the Omagh bomb civil action, the High Court heard yesterday.
Even though David Rupert is now on a witness protection programme, lawyers for victims' families want to use his evidence as part of their multi-million pound claim for damages.
The US trucker infiltrated dissident republicans in Ireland during the 1990s and played a key role in securing a guilty verdict when McKevitt, 58, went on trial in Dublin in 2003 accused of directing terrorism.
The introduction of transcripts from his appearance at those proceedings and a series of emails used as prosecution evidence is now being contested at the High Court in Belfast.
Michael O'Higgins SC, for McKevitt - who is being sued with Seamus McKenna, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly over the August 1998 atrocity which left 29 people dead - pledged that even if Mr Justice Morgan allows the material it will be trawled through for Mr Rupert's "deficiencies" which he claimed were "many".
The barrister also claimed that the question of the mole's non-appearance at the compensation case was an issue which had to be dealt with.
He said: "We will be urging upon the court that the court needs an explanation."
Mr O'Higgins pointed out that an order had been made allowing Mr Rupert to give evidence by a video link system, a method which he said seems to have been abandoned.
"We don't necessarily know the precise reasoning for that but our understanding is the FBI simply vetoed it," he added.
"If they [the plaintiffs] wish to indicate they are not going to take advantage of that order... we want a live witness to give evidence of that whom we can cross examine."
BY ALAN ERWIN
A SPY who testified against convicted Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt has been forbidden by the FBI from appearing at the Omagh bomb civil action, the High Court heard yesterday.
Even though David Rupert is now on a witness protection programme, lawyers for victims' families want to use his evidence as part of their multi-million pound claim for damages.
The US trucker infiltrated dissident republicans in Ireland during the 1990s and played a key role in securing a guilty verdict when McKevitt, 58, went on trial in Dublin in 2003 accused of directing terrorism.
The introduction of transcripts from his appearance at those proceedings and a series of emails used as prosecution evidence is now being contested at the High Court in Belfast.
Michael O'Higgins SC, for McKevitt - who is being sued with Seamus McKenna, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly over the August 1998 atrocity which left 29 people dead - pledged that even if Mr Justice Morgan allows the material it will be trawled through for Mr Rupert's "deficiencies" which he claimed were "many".
The barrister also claimed that the question of the mole's non-appearance at the compensation case was an issue which had to be dealt with.
He said: "We will be urging upon the court that the court needs an explanation."
Mr O'Higgins pointed out that an order had been made allowing Mr Rupert to give evidence by a video link system, a method which he said seems to have been abandoned.
"We don't necessarily know the precise reasoning for that but our understanding is the FBI simply vetoed it," he added.
"If they [the plaintiffs] wish to indicate they are not going to take advantage of that order... we want a live witness to give evidence of that whom we can cross examine."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/750
Published Date: 16-Apr-08
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