Witness tells Tribunal allegations 'extraordinary'

A garda witness at the tribunal probing corruption allegations against the force in Co Donegal more than a decade ago, today said suggestions that two of his colleagues might have been involved in suspect arms dumps sounded “extraordinary”.

But Detective Sergeant Hugh Smith said he would have no sympathy for the two currently-suspended officers, Superintendent Kevin Lennon and Detective Noel McMahon if the allegations turned out to be true, and it “was their own doing”.

He told the inquiry: “I can shed no light on it, one way or another. I can tell you nothing about it. I cannot take them out of trouble, or put them into trouble.”

The tribunal, headed by former High Court President Mr Justice Frederick Morris, today began its ninth week of proceedings over a series of allegations of improper garda activities in Co Donegal during the 1990s.

The current phase of the investigation is concentrating on allegations that Superintendent Lennon and Detective McMahon, acting with Adrienne McGlinchey, an alleged informer on IRA activities, prepared explosives that were later planted and then found in bogus Garda finds of explosives that were subsequently recorded as successful strikes against terrorism.

The explosive-mixing operations are alleged to have been carried out at the McMahon home in Buncrana, Co Donegal.

But the claims have been denied by both Superintendent Lennon and Detective McMahon, and Ms McGlinchey has dismissed claims that she was ever in the IRA, or operated as an informer.

Detective Sergeant Smith insisted today that he had not collaborated with a fellow officer before drafting a statement about Ms McGlinchey, or that he had tried to damage her reputation.

Giving evidence to an open session of the inquiry for a second day, after previously appearing at in-camera hearings, he talked of speaking to Ms McGlinchey for “hours and hours” in the hope of getting useful information about terrorist movements from her.

But he maintained repeatedly that ahead of submitting a statement, about the now 13-year-old exchanges, he had not consulted with Detective Garda Matt Tolan, who gave his evidence last week.

He recalled up to 30 meetings with Ms McGlinchey in car parks in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and then going for long drives into the countryside for long conversations.

The tribunal is due to shift to Donegal next month to deal with another module, relating to separate allegations against the gardai.

In total, the proceedings are expected to last well over a year.