GSOC’s bug experts ‘invited to Garda HQ’

The security firm at the centre of the GSOC bugging crisis has claimed it was invited to Garda headquarters to demonstrate high tech surveillance equipment while it was conducting its confidential night-time security sweeps at the police ombudsman’s HQ.

Garda sources have strongly rejected the claim, insisting it was the British firm Verrimus that requested the September 26 meeting through a third party and gardaí had no knowledge it was carrying out the security sweep at the GSOC offices at the same time.

Verrimus experts were in Dublin between September 23-27. It was during that time they discovered the first two alleged bugging incidents at GSOC’s offices.

During that time, Verrimus said it travelled to Garda HQ “on their invitation”, to demonstrate a “a number of specialist technical surveillance counter measure equipment on behalf of their manufacturers and agents.”

Among the devices it presented was the so-called “IMSI Catcher” which simulates a UK mobile phone network. Three weeks later, a similar IMSI device was identified as the third bugging “threat” at the GSOC offices.

Garda sources said companies regularly make presentations showing the latest equipment and Verrimus requested the meeting through a known third party. They said Verrimus officials offered to sell IMSI equipment to gardaí for between €80,000 and €100,000, a claim denied by the firm which said it could only demonstrate the equipment and not sell it.

Padraig Mac Lochlainn, chairman of the Oireachtas Oversight Committee, which will hear from Justice Minister Alan Shatter tomorrow, called on both sides to clarify what happened. “The gardaí should make an official statement, confirming or denying the Verrimus claims. Indeed, both sides should make comprehensive statements explaining exactly what did take place.”

Labour junior minister Joe Costello said the country was on “tenterhooks” to hear how Mr Shatter will explain why he didn’t tell the Dáil of the full briefing he received from ombudsman Simon O’Brien.

However, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore denied Mr Shatter had mislead the Dáil.