FBI: Omagh bombing a joint dissident operation

The Omagh bombing was carried out jointly by the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA rather than just by the RIRA alone, the trial of the man accused of murdering the 29 victims of the 1998 atrocity was told by an FBI agent today.

Written evidence from David Rupert, an FBI agent who infiltrated dissident republican groups, also said that accused Sean Hoey had never been named by him to the FBI or the British Security Service as having been involved or associated in any way with the illegal republican groups.

The judge in the marathon non-jury trial is expected to retire to consider his verdict tomorrow following final submissions from the prosecution and defence.

Sean Hoey, 37, an electrician from Molly Road, Jonesborough, denies 56 terrorist charges including the Omagh bombing.

At the end of day 54, defence council Orlando Pownall completed the submission of evidence to Mr Justice Weir with a written submission of evidence from David Rupert, which was agreed with the prosecution.

It stated that Mr Rupert was an FBI agent from in or about 1997 and that material and information emanating from him was believed to be accurate and reliable.

Mr Pownall said Rupert had been recruited by dissident groups as a supporter and that the groups perceived him to be a person who may be in a position to provide equipment and funding for the organisation's activities - including the CIRA between 1997-99 and RIRA between 1998 and 2001.

He had met a number of persons considered to be the organisers and leaders of the group.

Information supplied by Rupert to the FBI was shared with the British Security Service (BSS). The information had named more than 100 individuals from North America and Ireland and had been supplied in various ways including by emails to his handlers.

The emails were contained in more than 2,000 pages of evidence submitted to the judge.

Mr Pownall said information from Rupert included some about three individuals - whose identities he did not know - and who he called G1, G2 and G3 and introduced to him between November 1999 and June 2000 at meetings across the border in the Dundalk area.

Mr Pownall said: "G2 was referred to in Rupert's presence as a 'bomb tech'. Rupert understood G1 and G3 to be involved in developing the technical means to carry out terrorist attacks including obtaining items for use in bombings [such as] computer encryption software, remote detonators, infra-red night vision equipment and to seek procurement of such items through Rupert."

He said a person identified by Rupert as possibly being G2 was suspected by police of involvement in the Omagh bombing and another at the courthouse in the border city of Newry, Co Down.

He said information suggested Hoey was not G1, G2 or G3.

The QC continued: "The defendant has never been named or described, to the knowledge of the FBI or BSS, in any of the information supplied by Rupert, as having been involved with the said illegal republican groups or associated with them in any way."

He added: "The material and information emanating from Rupert is believed to be accurate and reliable.

"In August 1999 information was provided to Rupert by persons intimately involved with the said illegal republican organisations, which disclosed that the Omagh bomb incident was carried out jointly by CIRA and RIRA."

Mr Pownall said he would have preferred to have been able to call Mr Rupert in person and he was sure the prosecution would have liked the opportunity to cross-examine him.

As that had not been possible what had been presented to the court was the best hearsay evidence they could provide.

Earlier Mr Pownall raised further questions about apparent differences between a detonator used in a bomb attack on a Newry police station and the detonator presented to the court as the device used.

The case against Hoey depends heavily on forensic evidence, DNA [profiling] and fibres evidence.

With wrongly-labelled exhibits a key issue, forensic scientist Gordon McMillen was recalled to give evidence about how wiring on the detonator had apparently grown in length between the time it was recovered from the scene of the bombing and the trial. He was able to give no clear answer.

After hearing final submissions tomorrow Mr Justice Weir is expected to consider the mountain of evidence for between six and eight weeks before returning a verdict.