CAMERAMAN'S REIGN OF TERROR
Cameraman's reign of terror
By MIRROR REPORTER
MICHAEL McKevitt worked as a wedding cameraman after losing his job 12 years ago
The father of five had told gardai he was self-employed since being made redundant from a Louth firm in 1991.
Married to Bernadette Sands, the couple have three children, Roisin, 13, Michael, 11 and Blanaid, 10.
McKevitt, from Dundalk in Co Louth, has two other children, Stephen and Carol, with his previous partner.
But during the dates he had been accused, and convicted, of direction and membership of a terrorist organisation, there was a rise in Real IRA action.
It took Garda Superintendent Diarmuid O'SuIlivan more than 20 minutes to read out the list of bombings and explosives finds to the Special Criminal Court.
From April 6, 2000, until September 24, 2000, the Real IRA was linked to an explosion at an Army barracks in Derry and a mortar attack on an observation post in Armagh.
Real IRA activity included a find of Semtex in Dublin, an explosion a Hammersmith Bridge in London - which McKevitt had discussed with FBI spy David Rupert - an explosives find in Co Down and a blast at Moybridge, Newry.
Also during this period the dissident republican gang was linked to a 2501b car bomb at Stewartstown, Co Tyrone, the bombing of railway tracks in Ealing, London, and the discovery of arms in Lisburn, Co Antrim.
Gardai in Donegal then found 38lb of home made explosives while the Real IRA launched a mortar attack on a RUC station on Newry Road, Armagh.
Other offences attributed to the Real IRA included a rocket attack on M16 headquarters in London and explosions near rail tracks in Lisburn, Co Antrim.
By MIRROR REPORTER
MICHAEL McKevitt worked as a wedding cameraman after losing his job 12 years ago
The father of five had told gardai he was self-employed since being made redundant from a Louth firm in 1991.
Married to Bernadette Sands, the couple have three children, Roisin, 13, Michael, 11 and Blanaid, 10.
McKevitt, from Dundalk in Co Louth, has two other children, Stephen and Carol, with his previous partner.
But during the dates he had been accused, and convicted, of direction and membership of a terrorist organisation, there was a rise in Real IRA action.
It took Garda Superintendent Diarmuid O'SuIlivan more than 20 minutes to read out the list of bombings and explosives finds to the Special Criminal Court.
From April 6, 2000, until September 24, 2000, the Real IRA was linked to an explosion at an Army barracks in Derry and a mortar attack on an observation post in Armagh.
Real IRA activity included a find of Semtex in Dublin, an explosion a Hammersmith Bridge in London - which McKevitt had discussed with FBI spy David Rupert - an explosives find in Co Down and a blast at Moybridge, Newry.
Also during this period the dissident republican gang was linked to a 2501b car bomb at Stewartstown, Co Tyrone, the bombing of railway tracks in Ealing, London, and the discovery of arms in Lisburn, Co Antrim.
Gardai in Donegal then found 38lb of home made explosives while the Real IRA launched a mortar attack on a RUC station on Newry Road, Armagh.
Other offences attributed to the Real IRA included a rocket attack on M16 headquarters in London and explosions near rail tracks in Lisburn, Co Antrim.
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/186
Published Date: 07-Aug-03
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