Seán Gerard Hughes (Irish: Seán Gearóid Ó hAodha) is a farmer from Drumintee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, who has been named as a former member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) Army Council.[1]
Describing him as a "hardliner" in the Republican movement,[1][2] The Sunday Times reported that Hughes had served on the IRA's general headquarters staff (GHQ) as operations officer, but left in 2002 when appointed to the council.[1] Speaking under Parliamentary privilege, Member of Parliament for Belfast East, Peter Robinson, informed the British House of Commons of Hughes' appointment.[3] In 2005 The Sunday Times reported Hughes had resigned his position "after losing interest in the peacetime IRA." [2]
In 2001 Hughes was charged on counts of false accounting and obtaining by deception.[4] He filed an application under human rights legislation, claiming he could not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland after his picture, identified as an IRA member, was included in a book by Toby Harnden.[4] The application was rejected, but the case was moved to Belfast Crown Court where Hughes was convicted of benefit fraud.[4][5]
Hughes and several associates have now had their assets frozen by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.[6]