‘McDowell media campaign aims to criminalise me’

FORMER Government troubleshooter Phil Flynn has accused Justice Minister Michael McDowell of orchestrating a “concerted media campaign” to criminalise him.

Mr Flynn also described as “credible” the explanation from his associate, Ted Cunningham, as to why stg£2.3 million was found in a bin in Mr Cunningham’s garden by gardaí probing alleged IRA money-laundering. The former Sinn Féin vice-president and trade union leader has remained largely silent since the Criminal Assets Bureau raided his Dublin office in February 2005. During that raid, officers seized a pen gun and two tear-gas cartridges, for which Mr Flynn later received probation.

Yesterday, Mr Flynn broke his silence, telling TV3’s The Political Party there was “political motivation” behind the raid on his office.