McKevitt sacks his legal team

THE alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt sacked his legal team yesterday and declared that he will not take any further part in his trial for directing terrorism.

McKevitt told Dublin's Special Criminal Court he had been forced to sack his barristers following two failed attempts to have the hearing halted.

Three judges had rejected an attempt by the defence to stop the trial on the grounds that their case had been irreparably damaged due to the non-disclosure of crucial surveillance documents they claimed could have cleared the accused.