Mistaken identity claim over Irishman’s arrest

AN Irishman who remains in custody in Israel after being arrested at the weekend is not a master bomb maker for the Real IRA, his father said last night.

Liam Morgan said the accusation that his son Sean, a journalist, travelled to Palestine to coach militants in the use of explosives was so “wide of the mark it makes no sense”.

The 42-year-old Belfast man was still in an Israeli detention centre last night following three days of questioning by members of Shin Bet, the country’s internal security service.

Israeli security officials refused to comment on the case last night.

“They must know they have the wrong person. They could not have talked to him all this time and not realise they have the wrong person,” Mr Morgan said from his home in Turf Lodge, west Belfast.

Reports over the weekend said a man named as 40-year-old John Morgan, from outside Newry in south Armagh, had been arrested. Israeli security sources said he was known to both the British and Irish security services and he was a former member of the Provisional IRA who switched sides four years ago.

However, it now appears they have the wrong man. The man they arrested is a respected Irish language activist who works for the Northern-based newspaper La.

Sean O’Muireagain, who uses the Irish version of John Morgan, is single, was born in Belfast and has never lived in south Armagh. He is also a member of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Mr O’Muireagain travelled to the Middle East three weeks ago, arriving via Tel Aviv airport. He was travelling on a British passport.

While there is speculation the arrested man is a victim of mistaken identity, Kathleen Connell, of the solidarity campaign, claims it may be an attempt to discourage Irish activists, and other foreigners, from travelling to the area.

Israeli newspapers reported the tip off about John Morgan was received from the British secret service and that security services in the country spent a number of weeks looking for him.

It is believed that when Mr O’Muireagain passed through immigration, the name was sent to British intelligence and the reply came back they knew of a suspected Real IRA member named John Morgan.

Mr O’Muireagain’s father said: “This has been very traumatic. We were made aware that Sean was arrested on Saturday.

“See when we heard the other stuff on the news (about a Real IRA arrest) we did not even put two and two together it was so wide of the mark.

“We do not know where the Israelis are getting the information. It’s totally beyond comprehension. The best scenario that there could be is a situation of mistaken identity.”