Michael McKevitt

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Michael McKevitt (born 4 September 1949)[1] is an Irish republican who was convicted of directing terrorism as the leader of the paramilitary organisation, the Real IRA.

Background

McKevitt, a native of County Louth joined the Provisional IRA during the outbreak of the Troubles. In February 1975 he was shot in the knees by the Official IRA during a feud between the two organisations.[2] He was a longtime senior member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and served as the organisation's Quartermaster General, a role which gave him unique personal knowledge of the whereabouts of, and access to PIRA arms dumps. He quit the organisation in protest at the movement's ceasefires and its participation through Sinn Féin in the Peace Process which led to the Good Friday Agreement. McKevitt launched a dissident offshoot of the PIRA, called the Real IRA, using guns and weaponry he as the Quartermaster General of the PIRA had known the whereabouts of and had seized.[3][4]

McKevitt is married to Bernadette Sands McKevitt, a sister of 1981 PIRA hunger striker and MP, Bobby Sands, who died during his hunger strike.[4] Sands McKevitt was a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and had been described in media reports as the third highest ranking Real IRA officer.[5] She left the 32 County Sovereignty Movement following the imprisonment of her husband.[6]

Real IRA membership

McKevitt was convicted by the Republic of Ireland's non-jury Special Criminal Court on 6 August 2003 of two terrorist offences: "membership of an illegal organisation" (the Real IRA) and "directing terrorism" between 29 August 1999 and 23 October 2000.[7] He was the first person to be convicted of the latter offence, introduced in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing. The prosecution case was based on the testimony of an American FBI informant, David Rupert.[8] According to information revealed in his trial, among his plans was to attempt the assassination of the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair.[9]

Mr. Justice Richard Johnson said of McKevitt, "[t]he accused played a leading role in the organisation which he directed and induced others to join." On 7 August 2003 he was sentenced to twenty years in prison.[8] Given all possible reductions and remission, it means that the earliest he can be released is 2016.[10]

McKevitt appealed his convictions to the Court of Criminal Appeal, arguing that Rupert's testimony was unreliable since he had been paid large sums of money for his role as an informant (a total of £750,000 from the FBI and MI5),[8] and because of Rupert's long criminal record. In December 2005, the court rejected these arguments and said that Rupert was a credible witness. Both of McKevitt's convictions were upheld. In July 2006 McKevitt was given leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.[11] The appeal was rejected on 30 July 2008.[12]

McKevitt was expelled from the Real IRA after a disagreement between a group of Real IRA prisoners in Portlaoise Prison and the outside leadership. The prisoners issued a statement urging the leadership to stand down claiming a criminal element had taken over.[13] McKevitt and his supporters went on to form a group called The New Republican Forum.[14]

In June 2009, McKevitt was one of four men found by a civil court to be liable for the 1998 Omagh bombing in a case taken by relatives of the victims.[15]

Previous to his arrest and jailing, McKevitt resided at Beech Park, Blackrock, County Louth

References

  1. ↑ Harnden, Toby (1999). Bandit Country. Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 188–189. ISBN 0-340-71736-X. 
  2. ↑ Hanley & Millar, B & S (2009). The Lost Revolution: The story of the Official IRA and the Workers Party. Ireland: Penguin Ireland. p. 295. ISBN 978-1-84488-120-8. 
  3. ↑ McDonald, Henry (2000-11-26). "Real IRA ready to blitz Britain". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hopkins, Nick (2001-03-05). "Police fear Real IRA bomb blitz". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  5. ↑ "Trial told of `plot by Real IRA chief' to kidnap peers". The Independent. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  6. ↑ "The Framing of Michael McKevitt". Marcella Sands. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  7. ↑ Cowan, Rosie (2001-03-31). "Republican dissident charged in Dublin". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "McKevitt sentenced to 20 years". London: The Guardian. 2003-08-07. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  9. ↑ "Leader of Real IRA 'gave details for Blair assassination'". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  10. ↑ Cowan, Rosie (2003-08-08). "Real IRA leader gets 20 years". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  11. ↑ "Challenge to Real IRA conviction". BBC News. 2006-07-17. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
  12. ↑ "Real IRA leader to stay in jail as judges throw out appeal". Irish Independent. 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
  13. ↑ CAIN website.
  14. ↑ New Republican Forum
  15. ↑ "Four found liable for Omagh bomb". RTÉ News. 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2009-06-08. 

External links

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