McKevitt sentenced for directing terrorism

Thursday, 7 August 2003 12:00 AM

The alleged leader of the Real IRA, Michael McKevitt, has been sentenced today following yesterday's conviction for directing terrorism and membership of an illegal organization

Mr McKevitt is the first terrorist boss to be convicted of the new offence of directing terrorism, which aimed at getting to those behind terrorist acts but who rarely undertook atrocities themselves.

The ruling was made by the Specialist Criminal Court in Dublin, which today declared that he should serve twenty years for directing terrorism as well as sentencing him to six years for membership of a banned organization.

Directing terrorism is a new offence bought in by the Irish government in response to the Omagh bombing in 1998. The Omagh bomb was one of the worst atrocities in Northern Ireland's years of violence, and involved the Real IRA, which broke away from the Provisional IRA to oppose the peace process.

Although the charges do not relate to the Omagh bombing itself, relatives of the victims say the verdict strengthens their £10 million civil action against him and four others.

In their judgement, the three justices praised FBI agent David Rupert, the chief prosecution witness, for his bravery.

Last month Mr McKevitt sacked his legal team and declared that the case was a show trial and has taken no further part in the proceedings.

The Conservative Northern Ireland Spokesman, Lord Glentoran yesterday welcomed the verdict as a blow to terrorism and the Real IRA, but warned that it, along with the recent discovery of a terrorist training camp, serves as a reminder about the ongoing peace process.

Lord Glentoran commented, 'We should not forget, however, that despite this success both the Real and Continuity IRA retain the capacity to pose a significant terrorist threat. As the discovery earlier this week of the terrorist training camp demonstrated, the need for vigour and to maintain our security capability remains vital.'

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