Accused told garda’ he sent Christmas card to IRA chief

Accused told gardaí he sent Christmas card to IRA chief

THE 60-year-old man accused of money-laundering told garda’ he was never in the IRA but told detectives he knew the leader of the IRA and once sent him a Christmas card.

Ted Cunningham, of Woodbine Lodge, Farran, Co Cork, faces 20 charges of money-laundering and he denies all counts.

The charges arise out of the investigation into the robbery of £26.5 million (€29.5m) from the Northern Bank in Belfast on December 20, 2004.

The jury viewed video of Cunningham being interviewed by detectives at the Bridewell Garda station in February 2005. Detective Garda John Lynch and Detective Sergeant Gerry McCarthy asked him about republicanism, the IRA, and his connection with various people.

Garda’ asked Cunningham about friends he had in the Provisional IRA and asked about Joe Cahill.

Cunningham responded: I have read his book. The heading of the book was IRA Leader. I have met the man… I had no involvement ever and never contributed to a party in anything related to the IRA.

Are you a friend of Gerry Adams? he was asked. Cunningham replied: No, I wouldn’t say a friend, I met the man on two or three occasions, same as I would have met Bertie Ahern on two or three occasions.

Cunningham was then asked about Christmas card lists. I think I did get a card from Bertie Ahern, he said.

Was Joe Cahill on your Christmas card list? he was asked. Cunningham replied: I may have sent Joe Cahill a Christmas card once — himself and his wife. I met him a few times. I might have met himself and his wife five or six times in my life… I met him in Dublin at two functions in the City West hotel, they were Sinn Féin functions.

It was put to him that Farran to Dublin was a long trip to go for a function. He said it wasn’t really as he was on the road a lot.

He said he knew Sinn Féin councillor in Passage West, Tommy Hanlon, and had tried unsuccessfully to organise a mortgage for him. He said Mr Hanlon had done work for him and that he (Cunningham) had given him €12,000 to lodge in Cunningham’s own bank account.

During the last videotaped interview shown to the jury yesterday, Cunningham asked the detectives if it was possible to turn off the tape for a while so I could say something to you.

Sergeant Murphy, who was the sergeant in charge of the station, advised him that it would not be a good idea. However, the video was turned off.

The case continues today.