McKevitt trial delayed until June

The Special Criminal Court in Dublin today fixed June 18 next as the provisional trial date for Michael Mc Kevitt, the alleged leader of the Real IRA.

Mr Mc Kevitt's trial had been due to start at the court next week but will not now go ahead until the outcome of a Supreme Court hearing.

The court was told today that Mc Kevitt's lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court against a High Court decision last month refusing leave to seek a judicial review of an earlier court ruling.

Prosecuting counsel Mr George Birmingham SC said that the Supreme Court is due to hear the appeal on February 19.

Mc Kevitt's lawyers had sought leave to seek a judicial review of a decision by the Special Criminal Court on the disclosure of documentation relating to the forthcoming trial.

Mc Kevitt is the first person charged in the Irish Republic with directing the activities of a terrorist organisation under new laws brought in after the 1998 Omagh bombing which was claimed by the Real IRA.

The Special Criminal Court last year refused Mc Kevitt's application for further disclosure of documentation relating to the chief prosecution witness, FBI agent Mr David Rupert, in advance of the trial.

Mr Justice Richard Johnson, presiding, said today that the trial obviously could not go ahead next week.

He said the court would provisionally fix June 18 as the trial date and Mc Kevitt was remanded in custody until then.