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fish5133
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 Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 9:54 pm Post subject: MI5 Selling Guns To Real IRA |
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Not sure if this is the same story I heard on the radio which said a leading figure in the Real IRA had been caught buying guns from MI5. This story seems to conveniently not mention MI5
| Quote: | A man has been charged with a series of terrorism-related offences linked to dissident republicanism after police uncovered a major haul of guns in Northern Ireland.
The 54-year-old was arrested in the Newry area of Co Down on Friday.
He is due to appear in court in the city on Monday.
The charges he faces include possession of articles likely to be of use of terrorists, preparation of terrorist acts and possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
The development comes after police uncovered what they described as a "significant" firearms find linked to current dissident republican activity.
:: Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson has described new warnings about the threat of a terrorist attack by dissident Irish republicans as a "worrying" development.
Home Secretary Theresa May had said there was a "strong possibility" that Britain could be targeted in terror attacks by groups such as the Real IRA and on Friday raised the country's threat level to substantial. |
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/terror_charges_as_police_uncover_ arms_haul
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JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12 |
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fish5133
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Joined: 13 Sep 2006
Posts: 2568
Location: One breath from Glory
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| Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | A terrorist in Northern Ireland has been jailed for 20 years after a gun smuggling plot was exposed in an MI5 sting operation.
Dissident republican Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, 44, of Lurgan, Co Armagh, plotted to import weapons and explosives for the Real IRA from an undercover agent.
Co-accused Dermot Declan Gregory, 42, of Crossmaglen, was sentenced to four years in prison for making a property in Portugal available for the purposes of terrorism.
Mr Justice Anthony Hart told Belfast Crown Court: "Any attempt to purchase and import such a large amount of weapons and explosives for terrorist purposes must be regarded as exceptionally serious because of the potential for murder and destruction on a large scale."
McCaugherty, who said he was the Real IRA's second in command, showed no emotion as he was sentenced.
The judge said Paul McCaugherty was an "active and energetic terrorist"
The court heard he was introduced to a man he knew as Ali, who he believed was a genuine arms dealer, but was actually an MI5 agent.
McCaugherty agreed to buy 100kg of plastic explosives, 28 AK assault rifles, 20 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 10 sniper rifles and two pistols.
During a security service operation that lasted from August 2004 to June 2006, he agreed pay £90,000 in cash to Ali for the proposed delivery.
The pair met in destinations as far apart as Amsterdam, Bruges and Istanbul.
Mr Justice Hart said he was satisfied that at all times McCaugherty was acting as a senior and trusted member of the Real IRA.
He added that although there was never any prospect of McCaugherty obtaining the weapons, the attempt was still exceptionally serious.
McCaugherty's counsel claimed he had been enticed to carry out the actions, but Mr Justice Hart rejected this.
The judge said: "McCaugherty's admissions to Ali reveal he has been an active and energetic terrorist for a considerable period of time and one who was prepared to go to great lengths to obtain weapons."
He imposed concurrent sentences for the gun smuggling plot, membership of a proscribed organisation and for McCaugherty's role in obtaining the restaurant in Portugal. |
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Real-IRA-Gun-Smuggling-Plot-P aul-McCaugherty-Gets-20-Year-Sentence-After-MI5-Terrorism-Sting/Articl e/201010115749513?lpos=UK_News_First_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&l id=ARTICLE_15749513_Real_IRA_Gun_Smuggling_Plot%3A_Paul_McCaugherty_Ge ts_20-Year_Sentence_After_MI5_Terrorism_Sting
_________________
JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12 |
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fish5133
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Sep 2006
Posts: 2568
Location: One breath from Glory
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| Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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In contrast to this earlier trial
| Quote: | Real IRA plot accused entrapped by MI5 rules judge A man accused of smuggling guns for the Real IRA has walked free from court after a judge ruled he had been wrongfully entrapped in an MI5 'sting'.
The case against Desmond Kearns, 44, from Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, collapsed on Friday.
He had been charged with attempting to smuggle arms and explosives from Europe in an alleged Real IRA arms operation.
But the case was stopped when a judge ruled that an MI5 agent, known only as Amir had "entrapped" him.
In Belfast's crown court on Friday, the prosecution decided not to contest the judge's ruling.
Mr Kearns had denied two charges of plotting to possess guns and explosives between May 2005 and June 2006.
In his ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Hart said that having reviewed the evidence, "the edifice of the prosecution case" rested on "inadequate foundations and therefore that edifice cannot stand".
'Misconduct'
Mr Justice Hart said that given the evidence of two meetings between Amir and Mr Kearns in particular, Mr Kearns had been "entrapped".
"The defence have satisfied me that Kearns' conduct was brought about by the misconduct of Amir during those meetings, that the offences were artificially created by that misconduct, and that the administration of justice would be brought into disrepute were the prosecution permitted to continue," said Mr Justice Hart.
However, the judge refused a similar application from defence lawyers on behalf of one of Mr Kearns' co-accused, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, 43, from Beech Court, Lurgan.
He faces a total of six charges including conspiring to get arms and explosives, IRA membership and three charges of using money for the purposes of terrorism.
Mr Justice Hart said it did not follow that because he had ruled Mr Kearns' case be stayed, Mr McCaugherty's case should also be stopped.
The judge said so far, there was nothing to suggest that another agent - 'Ali' - did anything more than "skillfully and convincingly play the role of an arms dealer", and as such there were no grounds to stop Mr McCaugherty's trial. |
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10348019
_________________
JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12 |
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