Terror trial adjourned over documents delay
Documents sought by lawyers for the first man charged under new legislation in Ireland with directing terrorism are still within British and US jurisdictions, the Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard today.
James McGuill, solicitor for Michael McKevitt, told the court the State’s case rested on David Rupert, whom, he claimed was ‘‘recruited and operated by the British Secret Service, the FBI and the Gardai’’.
He said it was ‘‘particularly unsatisfactory’’ that the State had not yet supplied the documentation and that it should have requested it from the British and US authorities nine months ago.
Mr Justice Robert Barr agreed to an adjournment for one week.
He told the prosecution it was ‘‘important to clear the way for this trial’’.
Last December the court provisionally fixed June 4 next as the date for McKevitt’s trial which is expected to last at least four weeks. But the court has heard that the defence will not be in a position to go ahead on that date.
The court has also been told that the main prosecution witness, David Rupert, was observed by gardai meeting Michael McKevitt on a number of occasions.
The court heard that he infiltrated the Real IRA leadership and attended their Army Council meetings and that McKevitt allegedly met Rupert over a two-year period and asked him to acquire equipment for dissident republicans.
McKevitt, 51, of Beech Park, Blackrock, Dundalk, Co Louth is charged that between August 29, 1999 and March 28, 2001, within the State, he was a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann and that he directed the activities of the same organisation.
It is the first prosecution for directing terrorism under legislation brought in after the 1998 Omagh bombing and anyone convicted of the offence faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
