Scientist rubbish’s claims of the General’s innocence

THE former head of the Forensic State Laboratory has rubbished claims by the daughter of Martin Cahill that the gangland boss was not involved in two failed assassination attempts on the scientist’s life.

Dr James Donovan, who suffered horrific injuries in 1982 when a bomb went off underneath his car, yesterday scoffed at any suggestion that the criminal known as ‘The General’ was not responsible for the attack.

In a controversial book entitled Martin Cahill — My Father which is published this weekend, Frances Cahill claims the country’s leading forensic scientist was “a very unpopular man”. She maintains that the attacks on Dr Donovan could have been carried out by any number of criminals who were being investigated by gardaí at the time.

However, Dr Donovan said Garda intelligence indicated that the General had been involved in ordering the two attempts on his life.

He branded Ms Cahill’s claims as “deluded”.

“If Cahill didn’t do it, I would certainly like to hear some other name. He never offered any good reason why he didn’t,” he said.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Liveline yesterday, Dr Donovan said the first attempt had been carried out by two English assassins who had been hired by Cahill. After it had failed, he said Cahill had personally overseen the explosion which had almost cost him his life.

The retired scientist, who testified against Cahill several times, says he still suffers severe pain from leg injuries sustained in the attack.

Dr Donovan said he was certain Cahill’s daughter had suspended her critical faculties to write the book.

Several other victims of Cahill’s crimes called on the public to boycott the book.