Explosives may have come from garda firework store

Gardaí believed an explosive device planted at a telecoms mast in Co Donegal may have been made from fireworks stored at a Donegal garda station, a retired garda revealed today.

Pat O’Donnell, who retired from An Garda Síochana after 34-years service, said some gardaí believed the device found at the mast in Ardara on November 19, 1996 may have been made from illegal fireworks seized and stored in Glenties Garda Station.

“Going by the story I heard that night in the barracks it looked like the bangers were used to plant that device on the mast,” the retired garda said on a conversation between local gardai in Glenties Garda Station after the discovery.

Asked which bangers, Mr O’Donnell replied: “The bangers that had been seized in Glenties.”

The current module of the Morris tribunal, set up to investigate corruption among certain gardaí in Donegal, is examining claims the explosive device was constructed at a Donegal garda station and planted at the mast in order to arrest a number of people.

Earlier, the tribunal heard evidence from Sgt Conal Sharkey that around 150 individual fireworks, seized at the Harvest Fair in Glenties in 1995, were stored in a secure shed at the back of the station for around two-years.

Sgt Sharkey said he could not guarantee the fireworks were not interfered with during that period.

On the belief the device was made from the fireworks, Mr O‘Donnell said: “Nobody had proof but Sgt White had powder in the yard and that (Gda) John Kilbane had come in and told some of them it was the powder taken out of the bangers that were in the station and assumptions were being raised.”

Sgt White has denied allegations he tested the powder from the device outside the station after the device was found on the mast.

Mr O’Donnell added: “There was a general talk about it, nobody had any proof but people were assuming that something might have happened.

“There was a view what was involved, and it transpired it was possibly a set-up job.”

Mr O’Donnell said he found this upsetting as three men – Hugh Diver and the late Anthony Diver, and Bernard Shovlin – were to be arrested following the discovery of the device.

Mr O’Donnell told the tribunal an informant had given him information pointing the finger of suspicion at Hugh Diver and the late Anthony Diver over an arson attack on a container at the site which had caused IR£50,000 worth of damage two weeks before the device was found.

However, he said the name of Geraldine Shovlin, a sister of Hugh and Anthony Diver, was also mentioned during a conversation with other officers, including Sgt White, over who should be arrested.

Mr O’Donnell said he highlighted problems over her possible arrest.

He added: “At that stage Sgt White asked both of us who was she married to, I said Bernard Shovlin, an inoffensive man.”

Mr O’Donnell told the tribunal Sgt White said he would arrest Mr Shovlin.

“I was baffled to say the least,” he said. “I said to them you can check over everything and check with every garda who was up there and no one will ever have seen Bernard at any of the protests.”

He said there was no logical reason for arresting the plasterer.

Mr O’Donnell said he had filled out a form against the arrest of Mr Shovlin, highlighting that it was unlikely the arson culprits would confide in him.

The tribunal heard Anthony Diver had accused Sgt White of planting the device on the mast.

“He started levelling allegations against Sgt White, one of them was, I know you planted that device on the mast,” Mr O’Donnell said, adding that Sgt White denied it.