Garda denies Republican Sinn Fein 'harrassment' claims
A senior garda today denied that gardai in Limerick "harassed" republicans because of the IRA killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe and the wounding of another garda in Limerick.
When recalled to the stand in the Special Criminal Court in the trial of seven suspected members of the Continuity IRA, Chief Superintendent Gerard Kelly rejected suggestions that gardai deliberately harassed members of Republican Sinn Fein.
Mr John Phelan SC for the accused Des Long put it to the witness that there was a "great deal of anger" among gardai in Limerick following the shooting of the two gardai.
"I would call it a sadness" the chief superintendent replied.
"Isn’t this what the case against my client is all about?" counsel suggested.
"Oh not at all," Chief Superintendent Kelly said. The interest gardai have in Republican Sinn Fein "is in particular people" who are members, not the organisation as a whole, he added.
Mr Donagh McDonagh SC for the accused Patrick Kenneally put it to the chief superintendent if he was aware that Mr Kenneally had been searched up to 40 times over the years. "I could not put a figure on it" he replied, adding: "I would view that very much on the high side".
The chief superintendent agreed with counsel that nothing had ever been found on Patrick Keneally that resulted in a prosecution.
Chief Superintendent Gerard Kelly gave evidence earlier in the trial that in his opinion, each of the seven accused was a member of an unlawful organisation on December 17 2001. The State's case is that the unlawful organisation in question is the Continuity IRA.
Each of the seven accused have pleaded not guilty to a charge that on December 17, 2001, within the State, they were members of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann.
They are Des Long (aged 62), Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein, of Shannon Banks, Limerick, Patrick Kenneally (aged 58), of Crusheen, Co Clare, Patrick O' Shea (aged 54) of Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick, Gerard ``Ger'' Brommell (aged 43), of Rostura Crescent, Woodview Park, Limerick, Robert Mc Namara (aged 59), of St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary, Joseph ''Tiny'' Lynch (aged 61), of Beechgrove Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick and Christopher Dunne (aged 28), of Donnellan Buildings, Rosbrien, Limerick.
The trial continues tomorrow.
