| Subject: Omagh, FBI & MI5 |
Author:
IFC News
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 07:00:28 08/13/02 Tue
>IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE NEWSLIST
>www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
>-----------------------------
>
>Subject: FBI stance threatens trial of alleged Real
>IRA boss
>Date: 04 19 02
>
>
>The Irish Freedom Committee ™
>www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
>************************************************
>FBI stance threatens trial of alleged Real IRA boss
>By Adrian Mullan
>
THE reluctance of the FBI to provide information on
the so-called 'star' witness, David Rupert, in the trial in the Republic of alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt could cause the state's case to collapse.
Rupert, a US citizen and FBI operative, is thought to
have won favour with the Real IRA leadership after intimating that he could raise a lot of money for the dissidents in the US. However, he was a paid agent for both the FBI and Britain's MI5.
Rupert, who formally lived in the Bundoran area, has
admitted he did a dummy 'bomb run' for the Continuity IRA to Omagh just weeks before the Carnival Day atrocity on August 15, 1998, which claimed 31 lives, including two
unborn children. He is the key witness against
McKevitt who is charged with membership of the Real IRA and directing the activities of that organization
which carried out the Omagh bombing.
In Dublin on Tuesday, the Central Criminal Court
instructed state solicitors to stress to the US authorities the importance of information relating to the trial. It warned that if the information is not provided, the whole
trial could collapse.
McKevitt's defense team questioned the integrity of
Rupert as a witness, given the fact that he had been investigated by the FBI in respect of two separate criminal offences - smuggling and money wire transfers - although
he was not prosecuted for either alleged offence.
Describing Rupert as a 'paid agent of the FBI and
British Intelligence', McKevitt's Counsel Hugh Hartnett SC, suggested that Rupert had gone bankrupt in the United States in 'dishonest circumstances'. Mr Hatrtnett commented
that if he was dishonest in business, he might also be
a dishonest witness.Rupert's claim that he carried out dummy runs prior to the Omagh bombing, is a further indication that MI5 knew of the bombing well in advance of August 15, 1998. Other Special Branch informers have
>intimated that they too warned the RUC of an impending attack.
Indeed, the evidence of such informers led to the
Police Ombudsman's Inquiry which found that two prior warnings to CID was not passed on to police on the ground. These warnings did not include Rupert's claim that he also
warned his FBI/MI5 handlers of Continuity IRA plans to
bomb either Omagh or Derry. It is known that the Continuity IRA collaborated with the Real IRA at
that time.
The McKevitt case has already opened a window on the
covert activities of both the British and US intelligence agencies in Ireland. It has raised local and wider fears that that passing on of information which could save
lives takes second place to 'counter-terrorism'
activities in the intelligence services, including RUC Special Branch.
Rupert received a basic $33,000 per annum from the FBI
and an annual $15,000 bonus through a bank in Sligo and others in London and the Cayman Islands. It is believed that one of the victims of the Omagh bombing described a man
fitting Rupert's description - 6ft 4', about 20
stones, swarthy skin - as having been in a shop in the Market Street area on more than one occasion prior to the bombing.
The case against McKevitt was due to proceed on June
4. However, the defence counsel is still awaiting certain documents and information from the FBI relating to Rupert.
The presiding judge in the case, Justice Barr, said
the documents were fundamental to the defense and crucial if the trial were to proceed. McKevitt denies all of the charges.
>************************************************
>***********************************************
>
>************************************************
>© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates
>
>Permission to re-publish any article from this post is
>granted provided
>signature is attached and the active link back to this
>site is included.
>
>To Subscribe to this list send an email to
>IFCnews-subscribe@topica.com with
>SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
>
>To view Archives, follow HELP instructions or email
>deemail@msn.com for
>assistance.
>************************************************
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 