Witness claims she was blackmailed by detective

A VITAL witness at the Morris Tribunal’s investigation into alleged garda corruption yesterday told of “the most terrible time in my life” — the period when she claims to have been blackmailed by a detective into acting like a terrorist.

Adrienne McGlinchey, an alleged one-time IRA member who passed information to the gardaí both charges she has repeatedly denied delivered her outburst while giving evidence for a second day at the public inquiry in Dublin. Ms McGlinchey, 39, has been named in central allegations as being involved in mixing explosives, together with Det Garda Noel McMahon and suspended Garda Supt Kevin Lennon, so that the materials could later feature in "successful" garda finds of terrorist arms hauls in Co Donegal. The claims about explosives were made by Sheenagh McMahon the estranged wife of Noel McMahon who gave evidence to the tribunal over a total of five days earlier this month.

She also reported that Ms McGlinchey was permitted by her husband and the superintendent to transport a bomb across the border into Strabane, Co Tyrone, where it was later detonated in a street near the local courthouse, injuring people in the process. Pressed about her attitude towards grounding down explosives with a coffee-grinder for terrorist bombs, as well as other activities, such as "drops" leaving bullets and other items in various parts of Donegal Ms McGlinchey admitted: "There were funny times. But I have to say it was the most terrible time in my life. I was threatened by them, I was afraid of them and I did do all that happened, and I can't change it."