Pressure intensifies for new inquiry into arms deal

Pressure intensified in Dublin today for a new inquiry into the circumstances of a trial more than 30 years ago that rocked the Government .

The 1970 proceedings in the Dublin Central Criminal Court ended in the acquittal of four men on arms import charges.

One of the accused was Charles Haughey.

The arms affair has been resurrected by a TV programme and subsequent press reports following the study of documentation released from the national archives under the terms of the 30-year rule.

It was claimed that the document involved effectively implicated Defence Minister the late Jim Gibbons, in the arms affair.

One of Mr Haughey’s co-accused at the trial, former Army Captain James Kelly, called for an investigation into all of the circumstances surrounding the trial.

Mr Kelly, who has constantly claimed that he was acting at the time of the affair on the instructions of Mr Gibbons, said he was very pleased with the latest revelations.

He urged the appointment of a High Court judge to examine the arms trial, declaring: ‘‘It shows there was a conspiracy by the Government to convict me and the others.

"They were willing to go to any lengths. The chickens are coming home to roost, and someone will have to take some action.’’