US reporters to hand over tapes in McKevitt case

Three Chicago newspaper reporters have agreed to hand over taped recordings of interviews with a key witness in the trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt.

Judge Ronald Guzman had rejected their claim they were covered by an Illinois law that protects journalists and their sources.

Lawyers of alleged IRA mastermind Michael McKevitt, who is on trial in Dublin accused of terrorism, want the tapes in a bid to show FBI mole David Rupert is not a credible witness.

Rupert reportedly infiltrated the Chicago area fund-raising network of the Real IRA and is testifying at McKevitt’s trial. McKevitt has been described as a leader of the Real IRA.

Reporters Abdon Pallasch of the Chicago Sun-Times and Flynn McRoberts of the Chicago Tribune had signed a contract under which they would interview Rupert and then write a book about his experiences.

McRoberts later dropped out of the plan and Robert Herguth of the Sun-Times took his place.

Rupert says the FBI recruited him in 1994 to befriend and collect intelligence on alleged extremists in Ireland and the United States.

McKevitt, who was arrested in March 2001, could receive a life sentence if convicted of “directing terrorism”.