Court shown video of masked men admitting IRA membership

The Special Criminal Court in Dublin was today shown a video of three masked men, including one carrying an AK 47 rifle, who told BBC journalists they were the Real IRA and ``capable of waging war against the British state’.

The court was told the interview was carried out by BBC 'Spotlight' and 'Panorama' journalists at a house in the Creggan area of Derry the night before four men were arrested by gardaí near Bridgend in Co Donegal.

A Detective Garda identified two men photographed standing in a doorway while the interview was going on as two of the four Derry men accused of IRA membership.

Detective Garda Kevin Moriarty identified Gary Donnelly and Martin Francis O’Neill as the two unmasked men seen in photos printed from a camera memory card.

The four Derry City men on trial are Gary Donnelly (aged 38), Kildrum Gardens, Michael Gallagher (aged 28), Sackville Court, Martin Francis O'Neill (aged 40), Colmcille Court, and Patrick John McDaid (aged 38), Marlborough St.

They have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oghlaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, on March 16.

The three judge non-jury court watched 25 minutes of a 52-minute film taken last March. In the video, three men are seen wearing balaclavas, combat jackets and gloves. Two of the men are seated at a table and one stands behind them carrying an AK 47 assault rifle.

One of the men seated at the table tells a man who identifies himself as working for 'Spotlight' that they are ``representatives of the leadership of Oglaigh na hÉireann’.’

When asked if they are the Real IRA, the man says: ``Real IRA is a media term. We refer to ourselves as Oglaigh na hÉireann.’’

The man tells the journalists that ``there are sufficient volunteers to fulfil every obligation we have at the present’’ and adds:``We are attracting a lot of new people. More and more people realise we were sold a pup.’’

The masked man is heard to say that his organisation has `` a certain amount of explosive.’’ He says:``Our aim is to attack British interests in Ireland’’ and adds that they have a wide range of targets, including the media.

When pressed by the journalist if the media are a target, the man says:``There are some papers that promote or advertise the RUC (sic.)’’.

The video was stopped after twenty five minutes and Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said that the court had ``the flavour’’ of what was happening on the film.

Detective Garda Moriarty told the court that fifty three photos were printed from a memory card found in a white van which was stopped by gardai on March 15th 2008 near the border.

He said that in one of the photos Gary Donnelly and Martin O’ Neill can be seen in the background and he identified them as two of the accused in the dock. The Detective Garda said he was familiar with them ``over a number of years.’’

Earlier the court had ruled that the photos were admissible in evidence despite an application by defence counsel to have them ruled inadmissible in evidence.

The trial is continuing and is expected to last until the end of January.