McCaugherty & Ors, R v [2011] NICA 45 (8 September 2011)

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Neutral Citation No. [2011] NICA 45 Ref: MOR8270
Judgment: approved by the Court for handing down
Delivered: 08/09/11
(subject to editorial corrections)*




IN HER MAJESTY'S COURT OF APPEAL IN NORTHERN IRELAND
___________
THE QUEEN
-v-
PAUL ANTHONY McCAUGHERTY
DERMOT DECLAN GREGORY
(aka Michael Dermot)

Defendants/Appellants
________

Before: Morgan LCJ, Girvan LJ and Coghlin LJ
________

MORGAN LCJ (delivering the judgment of the court)

[1] Both appellants appeal against their convictions for terrorist related offences. McCaugherty was convicted of seven counts including conspiracy to possess explosives and firearms with intent (counts 1 and 2), belonging to a proscribed organisation (count 3), using money for the purposes of terrorism (counts 4, 5 and 6) and making property available for terrorism (count 7) and was sentenced to a total of 20 years imprisonment. Gregory was convicted of one count of making property available for terrorism (count 8) and was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. The offences arose from a sting operation mounted by the Security Services against dissident Republicans.

Background

[2] The operation spanned a period in excess of two years from early 2004 until June 2006. Security Services engaged role playing agents employed as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS) to gain the trust of Desmond Paul Kearns and subsequently the appellant, Paul McCaugherty, and to obtain evidence of their terrorist related activities. Kearns was charged jointly with McCaugherty on counts 1 and 2 but the proceedings against him were stayed at the close of the prosecution case on the basis that they were an abuse of process. The judge refused to stay the proceedings against McCaugherty. The appellants did not give evidence.

[3] The investigation was dependent upon two main agents, Amir and Ali, both of whom acted as CHIS for the Security Services. Other Security Service employees were referred to by 4 digit personal identification numbers. Amir played the role of a cheap cigarette trader and he was central to the investigation against Kearns. Ali posed as an arms dealer and he was involved in the part of the operation which engaged McCaugherty and Gregory. The operation was referred to as Operation Nare at the outset during the investigation of Kearns. A second code name, Operation Laburna, was used when McCaugherty and Gregory became involved although there was some evidence of an overlap in time between the uses of both code names. The operation was properly authorised under RIPA.

[4] Kearns was not initially suspected of being involved in terrorist activity. Attention was directed at him because he was believed to be associated with those who were involved in terrorist activities. One of the controlling officers for Operation Nare, agent 3522, stated that the Security Services believed as a result of intelligence reports that McCaugherty was central to procurement activity for the Real IRA. There was an established link between republican related cigarette smuggling and weapons procurement. Kearns was making visits to Europe on what looked like cigarette smuggling activity. 3522 decided that an attempt should be made to cultivate Kearns and to engage him in a relationship so as to find out what he was up to and what could be learned about the activities of McCaugherty or his associates.

[5] On 6 August 2004 Amir approached Kearns outside a retail outlet in Luxembourg where Kearns had been buying cigarettes to smuggle into Northern Ireland. Two days later a meeting was manufactured in Brussels. This led to a series of meetings in Belgium and the Netherlands from 20 April 2005 to 7 June 2006. Amir presented himself as someone who could sell cheaper cigarettes and other items to Kearns. Amir did supply cigarettes to Kearns at a very low price. The subject of weapons was raised during their meetings. The learned trial judge found that Kearns discussed arms with Amir in a hotel in Brussels on 24 May 2005 and 1 July 2005. On 27 September 2005 Kearns said that he had been trying to get "them" to try and organise something and he made it clear that he was prepared to approach his friend. On 4 December 2005 Kearns met Ali, who posed as an arms dealer, in Amsterdam and confirmed that his friends were serious about a deal. Kearns then took Ali to meet McCaugherty in a bar.

[6] The learned trial judge found that there was no evidence to show that the provision of cheap cigarettes influenced Kearns to approach McCaugherty but the readiness of Amir to supply them increased Amir's trustworthiness in Kearns' eyes. There was no evidence demonstrating that Kearns was incited to commit the offences. The judge noted that Amir accepted that Kearns made it clear he did not want to become involved in whatever others might do and that was clearly a reference to possible arms trading.

[7] The judge was satisfied that McCaugherty was one of the principal targets of the two operations and eventually became the principal target. The case against him was based upon the recordings of the conversations between McCaugherty, who referred to himself as Tim, and Ali. The prosecution case was that between 4 December 2005 and 13 June 2006 Ali and McCaugherty met each other on six occasions at various locations in Amsterdam, Istanbul and Bruges and also engaged in short telephone calls. The meetings were tape recorded and some were recorded on video. The judge was satisfied that the person recorded on the tapes and video was McCaugherty.

[8] At the first meeting on 4 December 2005 McCaugherty was recorded as saying that "we" need more high tech stuff. At a meeting on 28 January he referred to having obtained armaments from Slovakia a few years ago and moving some stuff from America. He and Ali discussed methods of delivery and went through a shopping list of arms and explosives to which McCaugherty agreed saying that it was more than enough. Ali's recollection was that they discussed and agreed the supply of 100 kg of plastic explosive, 20 AK47 assault rifles, 20 RPGs, 10 sniper rifles and 20 pistols for a total of €104,000. The judge was satisfied that Ali's evidence on this issue was correct. They discussed the supply of two further pistols with silencers, delivery from the continent and payment. At the fourth meeting on 27 February 2006 in Bruges, Ali stated that McCaugherty gave him a bag which was later found to contain €18,000 (count 4). At the fifth meeting on 3 May 2006 discussions included the arrangements Ali would make to transport the arms and explosives to a destination near Cherbourg. McCaugherty indicated he wanted to add further weapons to the order, specifically Armburst launchers. McCaugherty paid a further €10,050 (count 5). At the sixth meeting on 13 June 2006 Ali received another payment from McCaugherty of €17,920 (count 6). The amounts paid totalled €45,970. McCaugherty recounted the contrast between the actions of his associates and those of another group that shared their objectives.

[9] The judge noted a discussion of 3 May 2006 during which McCaugherty referred to a property in Bulgaria and then remarked that nothing had changed and that no undue attention was being paid to "our members". He talked about his immediate superior knowing of his activities. From these comments the judge inferred that McCaugherty was a senior member of what he referred to as "my organisation".

[10] The prosecution case was that a property in Portugal had been purchased by Teresa Murphy (formerly Connell) and her then boyfriend Owen McNamee in their names, although all the money was provided by the second appellant, Dermot Gregory. Gregory wished to conceal the ownership of the property from a girlfriend. The property was run as a restaurant by Murphy and McNamee until 2006 when the IRA sought to gain control of it and obtained the deeds. Murphy described how two men came to her house and said that they were from the IRA. They said that a property in Portugal belonged to the IRA and showed her a photocopy of the deeds. The judge found that this occurred in June 2006. She described one of the men as very overweight, tall and baldy. The judge noted that this matched the appearance of McCaugherty very well.

[11] Ali gave evidence that McCaugherty showed him some deeds of a property in Portugal on 13 June 2006. McCaugherty described to Ali how he approached Murphy about the deeds. He told Ali that another person had given her money to buy the property but that person had now given the property to 'us' and McCaugherty was one of the people tasked to recover it. He said that Murphy had gone to Portugal to recover the contracts related to the property. McCaugherty's remark that a gun was put to her head was supported by the evidence of Murphy that they had threatened to shoot her. A document found in McCaugherty's home on 19 June 2006 consisted of details of a personal nature about Murphy written by Gregory. McCaugherty's thumb prints were also found on documents relating to the transfer of funds by Gregory to Murphy to buy the Portugese property.

[12] During their second last meeting, McCaugherty asked Ali whether he would help in the disposal of a property in Bulgaria. McCaugherty made it clear that his organisation intended to acquire the property and then sell it. Ali stated he was willing to help for a commission. At their meeting on 13 June 2006 it emerged that the property was in Portugal and McCaugherty produced the deeds. The judge was satisfied that the deeds were obtained to enable the IRA to gain control of the property so that it could be sold and the proceeds used for terrorist purposes.

[13] It was Gregory's defence that he was acting under duress when he gave the men who came to his home the information they required to trace Murphy and take the deeds from her. In her evidence Murphy said that Gregory asked her for the deeds of the property but she gave him photocopies which she put through his door. The judge found that the photocopy of deeds shown to her by the men who told her they were from the IRA, one of which was McCaugherty, was the copy which she had given to Gregory. In Gregory's account to police he described handing over the deeds to men who told him they were the IRA. He said the men knew he had a place in Portugal and that he had a child. The men said that they had been approached by McNamee but that they needed Gregory to give them information as they wanted to get the place back. Gregory claimed that they gave him the impression that they had a gun.

[14] The judge was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Gregory was involved in a joint enterprise to pass the deeds to the IRA. He gave the men from the IRA details of Murphy and her family. She had given him photocopies of the deeds rather than the originals. He knew the IRA would receive money for helping him to regain control of his property. The issue for the court was whether Gregory had acted as he did because he genuinely and reasonably believed that if he did not do so he or his young child would there and then or in the future be killed or seriously injured.

[15] The learned trial judge considered it highly unlikely that Gregory had purchased the property with IRA money. In addition, McCaugherty had informed Ali on two occasions that the IRA had been given the property by its owner. The judge noted that Gregory had given extensive personal information relating to Murphy to the IRA including the names and telephone numbers of members of her family. The fact that he knew such detail supported the evidence of Murphy that she and Gregory had been on good terms. It also left unexplained why Gregory would give such detail to the IRA to enable them to approach Murphy unless it was to distance himself from the recovery of the property by the IRA. The easier alternative would have been to require Murphy to provide the deeds to him. It was also the case that Gregory's fingerprints were found on one of €100 notes that were part of the Euro notes given by McCaugherty to Ali on 13 June 2006. The Judge was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Gregory did not act under duress in his dealings with the IRA.

The appeal of McCaugherty

[16] The judge considered an application on behalf of Kearns and McCaugherty at the close of the prosecution case that the proceedings should be stayed on the basis that each had been entrapped by the state into performing the actions that constituted the offences charged. The application on behalf of Kearns was based upon Amir's evidence as to what was said at meetings on 24 May 05 and 1 July 05. The judge concluded that Amir's evidence was deliberately untruthful in a number of respects. He was emphatic that he had received no bonus for this operation whatever. It emerged that in fact he had received three payments each of £1,000 in respect of his part in the operation. Secondly although he denied that he made or authorised a demand conveyed by his solicitor for £30,000 in return for giving evidence in the case the terms of his solicitor's letter were irreconcilable with that assertion. Thirdly Amir denied ever having seen a statement attributed to him in Operation Nare which was inconsistent with some of his evidence. The learned trial judge accepted the evidence of 3583 that he had seen it and was satisfied that Amir tried to disavow this statement because a number of details in it that must have come from him were at variance with parts of his evidence.

[17] The judge also had regard to several critical assessments of Amir prepared by his superiors which created the strong impression that Amir was prepared to act as he thought best. Those assessments were made by security service personnel who had listened to some of the exchanges between Amir and Kearns. They considered that Amir's conduct may have constituted entrapment. The judge found that this, coupled with the financial incentive of receiving bonuses, created an obvious and substantial risk that he was prepared to go beyond what he had been told to do and to step across the boundary of entrapment. In addition, there was no verifiable account of everything that was said during meetings when arms were discussed on 24 May 2005, attended by Kearns, his wife and Amir in O'Reilly's Bar in Brussels, and on 1 July 2005.

[18] The learned trial judge concluded that he could not be satisfied that Amir's account of the crucial meetings on 24 May 2005 and 1 July 2005 was reliable. There were contradictions and inconsistencies between his evidence and the contemporary records surrounding the introduction of the topic of arms procurement. In light of the financial incentive to earn bonus payments there was a real risk of exaggeration or distortion. There was no record of most of what was said on 24 May 2005 and all of what was said on 1 July 2005. The judge was satisfied that Kearns' conduct was brought about by the misconduct of Amir during his meetings and stayed the proceedings against him.

[19] The core submission advanced on behalf of McCaugherty below and in this court was that the integrity of the proceedings against him was so fundamentally compromised by the actions of state agents in procuring the commission of offences that the learned trial judge ought to have stayed the proceedings against him also. The operation which led to the arrest of McCaugherty depended upon the role played by Amir. Kearns' conduct in introducing McCaugherty to Ali was brought about by Amir and the offences would not have occurred but for that conduct. It was accepted that Amir and Ali had liaised closely to ensure that their cover stories did not give rise to any suspicions on the part of Kearns or McCaugherty.

[20] The learned trial judge accepted that Amir persuaded Kearns that he was a person through whom McCaugherty could be put in touch with an arms dealer. He considered, however, that Amir's role was preliminary and subsidiary in relation to the offences with which McCaugherty was charged. The operation was properly authorised under RIPA. McCaugherty was the target and there were reasonable grounds to suspect that he was involved with the Real IRA. Ali's presentation as an arms dealer required elaborate steps to be taken and this was appropriate in the context of the case. There was evidence that McCaugherty wanted to purchase arms and explosives before he came into contact with Ali and he made comments to the effect that he had been involved in such activity previously. There was evidence that Ali paid for hotel accommodation, meals and spending money in Instanbul but the sums were modest and there was no evidence to suggest that this expenditure influenced McCaugherty's behaviour. Although Ali also received a bonus, the recordings, transcripts and some video footage enabled the Court to form a view of what Ali and McCaugherty did and said at all material times. The Judge concluded that there were no grounds to justify ordering a stay of proceedings in McCaugherty's case.

[21] There is no dispute that the appropriate principles to apply in a case such as this were set out by the House of Lords in R v Loosely and others [2001] UKHL 53 which dealt with two cases. In the first case an undercover police officer in an authorised operation based on intelligence made a number of sample purchases of drugs from the defendant. The House held that the undercover officer did no more than present himself as a customer to an active drug dealer and there was nothing in the officer's conduct which constituted incitement. In the second appeal two undercover officers offered contraband cigarettes to the accused and asked him to pay them in heroin. The accused said that he could not get heroin at short notice but some days later took the officers to a heroin dealer from whom he obtained the drug and provided it to the officers. When arrested he said that he had never been involved with heroin before this and had only become involved because of the conduct of the officers. The House held that the trial judge had been entitled to stay the proceedings as an abuse because the officers had instigated the offence by offering inducements which would not ordinarily be associated with the commission of the offence.

[22] It appears to us that a number of propositions relevant to this case can be derived from Loosely.

(i) It is an abuse of state power to lure citizens into committing acts forbidden by the law and then to prosecute them.

(ii) Such conduct constitutes entrapment and normally leads to a stay of the proceedings as an abuse of the process of the court.

(iii) The investigating authority seeking evidence of criminal offences through undercover officers must act in good faith. Such good faith may be established by demonstrating reasonable grounds for suspicion, authorisation of the operation and continuing supervision.

(iv) The use of proactive techniques is more needed and therefore more appropriate in some circumstances. The secrecy and difficulty of detection and the manner in which the particular criminal activity is carried on are relevant considerations. The infiltration of a conspiracy is an example of a case where such techniques may be necessary.

(v) Where undercover officers infiltrate conspiracies to commit terrorist offences they may have to show some enthusiasm for the conduct if they are to remain concealed. A good deal of active behaviour in the course of an authorised operation may, therefore, be acceptable in these circumstances.

(vi) The greater the inducement held out by undercover officers the greater the danger that the court may conclude that they have overstepped the boundary.

(vii) Whether the officer merely provides an opportunity for the accused to commit the offence rather than causing the commission of the offence is likely to be highly important in determining whether the police have overstepped the line.

(viii) The relative weight and importance of these factors will depend upon the particular facts of the case.

[23] Although the focus of the criticism on behalf of McCaugherty was the conduct of Amir it is accepted that this appellant never met Amir in the course of the operation. At most it can be said that Amir's conduct induced Kearns to introduce McCaugherty to Ali, whom Kearns believed to be an arms dealer. By this stage McCaugherty was the focus of the operation based on intelligence material giving rise to a reasonable suspicion that he wished to purchase arms. The operation was both authorised and supervised. The extent of the supervision can be seen in the careful analysis of Amir's conduct by his supervisors. The activity being investigated was one which inevitably is conducted in secret and which Loosely recognised as one of those where proactive techniques may be required.

[24] All of the meetings between Ali and McCaugherty were recorded so that the court had a full account of what transpired between them. The learned trial judge was satisfied that the appellant was not induced, incited or lured into the offence. The appellant disclosed that he had previously been involved in such criminal activity. The payment of hotel bills and expenses in Turkey was typical of the colour which might be required of an operative in this area. The offer to demonstrate the effectiveness of the weaponry in Georgia was similarly something that might have been expected of someone in this situation. None of this suggests that Ali did more than offer the appellant the sort of opportunity that he would have taken if introduced to anyone he believed to be an arms dealer.

[25] The appellant did not take issue with the principles to be applied in this case. The argument concerned the application of those principles. We accept the analysis of the learned trial judge that the conduct of Amir was preliminary to the engagement of Ali with the appellant. It did not cause the commission of the offences but rather led to circumstances where the opportunity for the appellant to commit the offences arose. We see no reason to depart from the conclusions reached by the learned trial judge. We do not consider that the convictions are unsafe and accordingly we dismiss the appeal.

The appeal of Gregory

[26] This appellant appealed on the basis that the learned trial judge erred in holding that the prosecution had defeated the appellant's case of duress beyond reasonable doubt and that he erred in the circumstances in drawing an adverse inference from the appellant's failure to testify.

[27] The principal evidence against him was that of Murphy. She and McNamee were the paper owners of the Portuguese restaurant and Murphy rented it out for £700 per month. Gregory indicated to her that he intended to sell the property and requested the deeds. She provided him with photocopies. Some short time later she was approached by two men as set out at paragraph 10 above. She handed the deeds of the property to them. She told them that the rental contract was in Portugal and they told her to give it to Gregory by the following weekend. She claimed that a person purporting to be from the IRA contacted her in Portugal and told her to get back a few days later. She returned and put the contract through Gregory's letterbox. She subsequently identified the deeds, copy deeds and documents relating to the transfer of funds which McCaugherty had given Ali on 13 June 2006. She also identified the rental contract and the paperwork found at McCaugherty's home with details of her and her family.

[28] Murphy claimed that she was naturally upset about the way in which she had been approached and contacted Gregory to ask why he had sent the men to her door. He suggested that it was all McNamee's fault. There is no reason why he should have replied in that manner if his account of providing the information only because he was put in fear was correct.

[29] The learned trial judge properly acknowledged that Gregory was a person of previous good character. He recognised that he had to take that into account when examining his exculpatory statements at interview and that he was also less likely to have committed the offence. Although the prosecution did not press a submission that an adverse inference should be drawn as a result of the failure of the appellant to give evidence the judge considered that the prosecution case called for an answer from him and accordingly took his failure into account against him. That related in particular to those aspects of Murphy's evidence which he disputed.

[30] Before this court Mr Magee QC disclosed that Gregory had been the subject of a threat to his life at the commencement of the trial although it does not appear that it was connected with the conduct of the trial. The threat was conveyed to the appellant and his counsel but neither party sought to bring it to the attention of the judge. Mr Magee does not criticise the decision not to raise this with the trial judge but submits that the threat is material to whether the judge ought to have drawn an adverse inference.

[31] The appellant had already made his duress case at interview. There was no obvious difficulty in him giving evidence in accordance with his interviews. It was suggested that he was inhibited by the presence of his co-accused but in his interviews the appellant expressly disavowed any participation by McCaugherty. The threat to his life did not relate to any evidence he might give. The fact that he was of previous good character did not answer the point that there were matters that required explanation in the prosecution case. These include the reasons why he had not simply asked Murphy in person for the deeds if he needed them. Although she said that she had put photocopies of the deeds through his door he denied that. It was common case that the photocopies ended up with McCaugherty. Murphy alleged that Gregory had indicated his intention to sell the property shortly before this incident.

[32] We consider that the learned trial judge was entitled to rely on the passage approved by Lord Bingham from R v Hasan [2005] 4 All ER at 685 in taking into account the appellant's failure to give evidence as some additional support for the prosecution case. There was ample evidence from Murphy in particular to defeat the duress case and the judge was also entitled to take into account the fingerprint of the appellant on one of the notes passed by McCaugherty to Ali as well as the failure to give evidence. In all the circumstances we do not consider that this conviction was unsafe. The appeal must be dismissed.
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Dissident gun-running plot appeals rejected MI5 sting duo fail to have convictions overturned

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Dissident gun-running plot appeals rejected MI5 sting duo fail to have convictions overturned
9 September 2011
The Irish News

Two men jailed for their part in a dissident republican gun-smuggling plot - uncovered in an MI5 sting operation - have failed to have their convictions overturned.

Senior judges dismissed appeals by Paul McCaugherty (44) and Dermot Declan Gregory (42), who were found guilty following a Europe-wide security-service probe.

McCaugherty, formerly of Beech Road, Lurgan, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to import weapons and explosives.

It was alleged that he sought the equipment on behalf of the Real IRA from an arms dealer who was a security services agent.

Gregory, of Concession Road, Crossmaglen, received a four-year jail term last October after being found guilty of making a Portuguese property available for the purpose of terrorism.

During the trial the prosecution claimed McCaugherty, calling himself 'Tim', handled money and negotiated deals in locations across Europe.

He believed the men he was meeting were able to procure weapons and explosives but were in fact agents.

The court heard how security services set up a sting operation against the Real IRA in 2004, with meetings between agents and suspects taking place during a two-year period at various European locations, including Bruges, Amsterdam and Turkey.

McCaugherty was jailed for counts including conspiracy to possess firearms, explosives and ammunition with the intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, belonging to a proscribed organisation, and using money for the purposes of terrorism.

It was alleged that he had proposed part paying for the arms shipment by the sale of a restaurant in Portugal which was supplied by Gregory.

McCaugherty's lawyers argued on appeal that his conviction should be quashed because entrapment was used against him.

They claimed his case was inextricably linked to that of a co-accused who walked free after a judge ruled the same method was deployed in the MI5 sting operation.

Desmond Kearns (44), from Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, had also been charged with attempting to smuggle arms and explosives from Europe.

But his prosecution was stopped when a judge held that an MI5 agent, known only as Amir, had entrapped him.

McCaugherty's position was held to be different because Amir only played a preliminary role in introducing him to an agent named Ali who he believed was an arms dealer.

The Court of Appeal stressed that it was an abuse of state power to lure citizens into committing acts forbidden by the law and then to prosecute them.

But the lord chief justice, Sir Declan Morgan, accepted the trial judge's analysis.

Dismissing McCaugherty's appeal, Sir Declan said: "It did not cause the commission of the offences but rather led to circumstances where the opportunity for the appellant to commit the offences arose."

Gregory's appeal was based on claims that the trial judge erred in holding that the prosecution had defeated his case of duress beyond reasonable doubt.

He also challenged the drawing of an adverse inference from his failure to testify.

It was disclosed to the court that a threat to Gregory's life emerged at the start of the trial, although it appeared to be unconnected to the proceedings.

It was also suggested that he was inhibited by the presence of his co-accused at trial.

Sir Declan held that the trial judge was entitled to take into account Gregory's failure to give evidence as additional support for the prosecution case.

The lord chief justice ruled that there was "ample evidence ... to defeat the duress case".

He said the trial judge had also been entitled to take into account a fingerprint of Gregory on one of the notes passed by McCaugherty to Ali as well as the failure to give evidence.
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Real IRA gun plot pair's appeals dismissed

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Paul McCaugherty / Dermot Gregory
Real IRA gun plot pair's appeals dismissed
8 September 2011
BBC News


Two men jailed over a dissident republican gun running plot have failed to have their convictions overturned.

Senior judges dismissed appeals by Paul McCaugherty, 44, and Dermot Declan Gregory, 42, who were found guilty following an MI5 probe.

McCaugherty, formerly of Beech Road, Lurgan, Co Armagh was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to import weapons and explosives.

Gregory, 42, of Concession Road in Crossmaglen, was jailed for four years.

Sting operation

He was found guilty of making a Portuguese property available for the purposes of terrorism.

During the trial the prosecution claimed McCaugherty, calling himself 'Tim', handled money and negotiated deals in locations across Europe.

He believed the men he was meeting were able to procure weapons and explosives but were in fact agents.

The court heard how the security services set up a sting operation against the Real IRA in 2004, with meetings between agents and suspects taking place during a two-year period at various European locations, including Bruges, Amsterdam and Turkey.

McCaugherty was jailed for counts including conspiracy to possess firearms, explosives and ammunition with the intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, belonging to a proscribed organisation, and using money for the purposes of terrorism.

It was alleged that he had proposed part-paying for the arms shipment by the sale of a restaurant in Portugal which was supplied by Gregory.

Preliminary role


McCaugherty's lawyers argued on appeal that his conviction should be quashed because entrapment was used against him.

They claimed his case was inextricably linked to that of a co-accused who walked free after a judge ruled the same method was deployed in the MI5 sting operation.

Desmond Kearns, 44, from Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, had also been charged with attempting to smuggle arms and explosives from Europe.

But his prosecution was stopped when a judge held that an MI5 agent, known only as Amir, had entrapped him.

McCaugherty's position was held to be different because Amir only played a preliminary role in introducing him to the agent named Ali who he believed was an arms dealer.

The Court of Appeal stressed that it was an abuse of state power to lure citizens into committing acts forbidden by the law and then to prosecute them.

But Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan accepted the trial judge's analysis that Amir's conduct was preliminary to the engagement of Ali with McCaugherty

Dismissing his appeal, Sir Declan said: "It did not cause the commission of the offences but rather led to circumstances where the opportunity for the appellant to commit the offences arose."

Gregory's appeal was based on claims that the trial judge erred in holding that the prosecution had defeated his case of duress beyond reasonable doubt.

Ample evidence

He also challenged the drawing of an adverse inference from his failure to testify.

It was disclosed to the court that a threat to Gregory's life emerged at the start of the trial, although it appeared to be unconnected to the proceedings.

It was also suggested that he was inhibited by the presence of his co-accused at trial.

Sir Declan held that the trial judge was entitled to take into account Gregory's failure to give evidence as additional support for the prosecution case.

The Lord Chief Justice ruled there was "ample evidence to defeat the duress case".

He added that the trial judge was also entitled to take into account the fingerprint of Gregory on one of the notes passed by McCaugherty to Ali as well as the failure to give evidence.
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Antiterror chief says Portugal "attractive" for terrorists

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Antiterror chief says Portugal "attractive" for terrorists
14 July 2011
BBC Monitoring European


Excerpt from report by Portuguese newspaper Publico website on 9 July


[Lusa report: "Expert Says Portugal Becoming 'Attractive' for Terrorists"]

The president of the Observatory for Security and Terrorism stated today that Portugal's peripheral location makes it "attractive" for terrorist group operations.

"We are in a peripheral area and that is attractive. Not that we are less vigilant, but it is obvious that they (the terrorists) know that we do not have terrorism on the first page of our security agenda; still, there has been some international cooperation and our authorities have taken care to arrest those individuals and dismantle groups that have been established in our country," Jose Manuel Anes said.

The president of the Observatory for Security, Organized Crime, and Terrorism (OSCOT) referred in this manner to the arrest yesterday in Olhao [south of Portugal] of two potential members of a dissident group of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the self-called Real IRA.

[passage omitted]

Source: Publico website, Lisbon, in Portuguese 9 Jul 11
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Antiterror chief says Portugal "attractive" for terrorists

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Antiterror chief says Portugal "attractive" for terrorists
14 July 2011
BBC Monitoring European

Excerpt from report by Portuguese newspaper Publico website on 9 July

[Lusa report: "Expert Says Portugal Becoming 'Attractive' for Terrorists"]

The president of the Observatory for Security and Terrorism stated today that Portugal's peripheral location makes it "attractive" for terrorist group operations.

"We are in a peripheral area and that is attractive. Not that we are less vigilant, but it is obvious that they (the terrorists) know that we do not have terrorism on the first page of our security agenda; still, there has been some international cooperation and our authorities have taken care to arrest those individuals and dismantle groups that have been established in our country," Jose Manuel Anes said.

The president of the Observatory for Security, Organized Crime, and Terrorism (OSCOT) referred in this manner to the arrest yesterday in Olhao [south of Portugal] of two potential members of a dissident group of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the self-called Real IRA. [passage omitted]

Source: Publico website, Lisbon, in Portuguese 9 Jul 11
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Portugal arrests two Real IRA suspects for alleged arms trafficking

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Portugal arrests two Real IRA suspects for alleged arms trafficking
Henry McDonald
11 July 2011
Guardian Unlimited


Two Irishmen were detained in the southern Algarve region on Saturday, along with a Portuguese national

Two suspected Irish republican dissidents have been arrested in Portugal.  They were detained under the country's anti-terrorist legislation in the southern Algarve region on Saturday, along with a Portuguese man.

The Irish nationals are understood to be accused of links to the Real IRA.

One of the Irishmen is understood to be resident in Algarve and had been previously targeted by the Irish security forces over weapons and cigarette smuggling into Ireland.

The other Irishman was intercepted shortly after arriving in Algarve on a flight from Belfast.

Police in Portugal said they had arrested the trio in connection with a "criminal organisation dedicated among other things to international arms trafficking".
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Suspected IRA dissidents arrested

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Business as usual as US-based hotel group buys capital's Four Seasons
10 July 2011
The Sunday Independent (Ireland)


Excerpt:
...
Suspected IRA dissidents arrested

Two suspected IRA dissidents have been arrested on the Portuguese Algarve. Anti-terrorist officers detained the pair during raids over the weekend. A Portuguese man was also held. Ten firearms and some ammunition were found during one of the raids, thought to have been approved after a joint British-Portuguese police operation involving several months of covert surveillance.

The suspected dissidents, aged 38 and 59, were yesterday being held in jail after being quizzed by a local magistrate. Police believe they led a support network for the Real IRA.

One of the men is thought to be an expat living on the Algarve, previously identified by security services as a Real IRA fundraiser involved in drugs, weapons and cigarette smuggling.

The other man is said to have driven to the Algarve from Belfast shortly before his arrest to pick up weapons he planned to smuggle back to Northern Ireland.
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IRA pair held in Algarve gun raids

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IRA pair held in Algarve gun raids
10 July 2011
Sunday Mail


Two suspected IRA dissidents have been held in the Algarve.

Anti-terrorist officers arrested the pair after raids on Friday, which also netted an arms cache of 10 weapons plus ammunition. A Portuguese man was also held.

The raids were approved after several months of surveillance by British and Portuguese police.

The suspects, aged 38 and 59, were yesterday being held in jail after being quizzed by a local magistrate.

Police believe they led a support network for the Real IRA.

One of the men is thought to be an expat, living on the Algarve. The other is said to have driven from Belfast to pick up weapons he planned to smuggle back into Northern Ireland.

A Portuguese police spokesman said: "The men formed a criminal organisation dedicated, among other things, to international arms trafficking."
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'RIRA pair' arrested in Portugal

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'RIRA pair' arrested in Portugal
Gerard Couzens
10 July 2011
The Sunday Mirror


Two suspected IRA dissidents are among three men who have been arrested in the Algarve in Portugal.

Anti-terrorist officers detained the pair during raids on Friday and a Portuguese man was also held.

Ten guns and ammunition was found in one raid.

The suspected dissidents, aged 38 and 59, were yesterday in jail.

Police believe they led a support network for the Real IRA, which killed 29 people in Omagh in 1998.

None of the three detainees has been named. A Portuguese police spokesman said: "A complex investigation led to an operation in the south of the country during which three men were arrested.

"The three men, two foreigners and a Portuguese man, formed a criminal organisation dedicated amongst other things to international arms trafficking."
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EX-Provos operate on Continent

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EX-Provos operate on Continent
10 July 2011
The Sunday Life


Dissident republicans have strong links to the continent and use established gun-running networks to bring arms into Northern Ireland.  The terrorists involved in smuggling the weapons are mostly all former Provos who were active in the 1980s.  Back then the IRA shipped huge quantities of guns and explosives into Northern Ireland from Europe.

A key player in this murky business was Lurgan man Paul McCaugherty.  The 44-year-old quit the Provos after decommissioning and joined the Real IRA.  Last year McCaugherty was jailed for 20 years for trying to smuggle weapons into Northern Ireland.  He told an undercover MI5 officer who he thought was an arms dealer that he wanted to buy guns and explosives.  The dissident boss met the spy on six different occasions in places like Amsterdam, Bruges and Istanbul.

Convicted alongside him was self-confessed agent Dermot Declan Gregory from Crossmaglen.  He was found guilty of buying a restaurant in Portugal with the intention of selling it on and giving the proceeds to the Real IRA.

Suspected Real IRA man Michael Campbell is currently on trial in Lithuania charged with trying to buy weapons.  The 36-year-old -- a brother of suspected Omagh bomber Liam Campbell -- allegedly handed thousands of euros to an undercover Lithuanian agent posing as a weapons supplier, in returns for guns and ammunition.
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Dissident suspects lifted in Portugal

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Dissident suspects lifted in Portugal
Gerard Couzens, Victoria McMahon
10 July 2011
The Sunday Mirror


Pair held in arms raid

TWO suspected Real IRA men have been arrested in Portugal on suspicion of smuggling weapons destined for Northern Ireland.  The guns were earmarked to be used in a deadly offensive by the dissident group to unleash a fresh wave of violence against security forces in Northern Ireland.

Officers from M15's Holywood spy headquarters in Co Down are understood to have hooked-up with Portuguese anti-terrorist officers in the sting.

The crack British and Portuguese team spent months through covert surveillance gathering intelligence and information on the activities of the alleged rogue republicans before making their move.

The officers raided a number of locations on Friday in Portugal's "Riveria" of the Algarve.

A stash of 10 firearms and ammunition was uncovered during one of the raids.

The suspected dissidents, aged 38 and 59, were yesterday being held in a Portugal jail after being quizzed by a local magistrate.

A Portuguese man was also held during the raids.

Sources told the Sunday Mirror police believe the men may have led a support network for the Real IRA, which killed 29 people in a bomb attack in Omagh in 1998.

One of the men is thought to be an expat living on the Algarve previously identified by security services as a suspected Real IRA fundraiser involved in guns and cigarette smuggling.

The other man is said to have driven to the Algarve from Belfast shortly before his arrest, allegedly to pick up weapons he planned to smuggle back into Northern Ireland.

A Portuguese police spokesman said:

"A complex investigation led to three men being arrested.

"The three men, two foreigners and a Portuguese man, formed a criminal organisation dedicated amongst other things to international arms trafficking." 

Portugal has been previously dragged into a high-profile court case involving secret agents and dissident republicans.

During the trial of Real IRA chief Paul McCaugherty last year it emerged he had obtained a restaurant in the Algarve with the intent of selling it off to bolster the coffers of his dissident organisation.

He was duped by an MI5 agent posing as an arms dealer and was found guilty of trying to smuggle a huge cache of weapons and explosives into Northern Ireland.
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Three held over suspected Real IRA gun running

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Three held over suspected Real IRA gun running
Sunday Mirror
10 July 2011

TWO suspected Real IRA dissidents have been arrested for allegedly arranging to smuggle arms into Northern Ireland.

Anti-terrorist officers swooped on the men, aged 38 and 59, in the Algarve, Portugal. A Portuguese man was also held.

A haul of ammunition and 10 guns were seized in the raids.

A Portuguese police spokesman said: “We suspect they formed a criminal organisation dedicated to trafficking.”



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Men suspected of Real IRA links arrested in Portugal

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Men suspected of Real IRA links arrested in Portugal
Two Irishmen and Portuguese national detained in southern Algarve region
10 July 2011 
 Henry McDonald
Guardian





Two suspected Irish republican dissidents have been arrested in Portugal.

They were detained under the country's anti-terrorist legislation in the southern Algarve region on Saturday, along with a Portuguese man.

The Irish nationals are understood to be accused of links to the Real IRA.

One of the Irishmen is understood to be an Algarve resident and had been previously targeted by the Irish security forces over weapons and cigarette smuggling into Ireland.

The other Irishman was intercepted shortly after arriving on a flight from Belfast.

Police in Portugal said they had arrested the trio in connection with a "criminal organisation dedicated among other things to international arms trafficking".


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Portugal 'desirable' for terrorists

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Portugal 'desirable' for terrorists
Portugal 'apetecível' para terroristas
10 July 2011
Jornal de Notícias

GOOGLE TRANSLATION:

Weapons to the IRA

The President of the Observatory on Security, Organized Crime and Terrorism (OSCOT) yesterday told the Lusa agency that makes Portugal a peripheral location "attractive" to operations of terrorist groups.

José Manuel Anes commented on the arrest by the Judicial Police (PJ) , yesterday, in Olhão, two elements of an alleged breakaway faction of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) the IRA, self-titled Real.

The Irish were arrested when they bought ten guns and 250 ammunition to an intermediary Portuguese who was also arrested. Other Irish terrorist movements may be involved in the same case. The suspects are all in custody.

The research, which is not over, was initiated by the Central Directorate for Investigation and Prosecution Unit which involved the National Counter-Terrorism PJ at the request of British authorities.

"We are in a peripheral area that is desirable. It is no less under surveillance. Clearly they know that we do not have terrorism on the first page of our security agenda, but there has been a minimum of international cooperation and attention of our authorities to able to hold these individuals and dismantle these groups will be established around here, "said José Manuel Anes.

"There is always a collaboration of national or other logistical support in these activities, purchase arms, get money to terrorist networks. In this case, the broker was arrested Portuguese trafficking because the relationship between terrorism and organized trafficking is one thing that there is more, "said José Manuel Anes.

"We are not the target for now and hopefully will never be. But even if not subject to any attack, we need solidarity and cooperation to the countries that are," he said.

ORIGINAL IN PORTUGUESE:


Portugal 'apetecível' para terroristas
10 July 2011
Jornal de Notícias

Armas para o IRA

O presidente do Observatório de Segurança, Criminalidade Organizada e Terrorismo (OSCOT( disse ontem à agência Lusa que a localização periférica torna Portugal "apetecível" para operações de grupos terroristas.

José Manuel Anes comentava a detenção pela Polícia Judiciária (PJ(, anteontem, em Olhão, de dois presumíveis elementos de uma facção dissidente do Exército Republicano Irlandês (IRA(, o auto-intitulado IRA-Verdadeiro.

Os irlandeses foram detidos quando compravam dez armas e 250 munições a um intermediário português que também foi detido. Outros movimentos terroristas irlandeses poderão estar envolvidos no mesmo caso. Os suspeitos estão todos em prisão preventiva.

A investigação, que ainda não terminou, foi iniciada pela Direcção Central de Investigação e Acção Penal e que envolveu a Unidade Nacional de Combate ao Terrorismo da PJ, a pedido das autoridades britânicas.

"Estamos numa zona periférica que é apetecível. Não é por termos menos vigilância. É evidente que eles sabem que não temos o terrorismo na primeira página da nossa agenda de segurança, mas tem havido um mínimo de cooperação internacional e de atenção das nossas autoridades para poder deter estes indivíduos e desmantelar estes grupos que por cá se vão estabelecendo", disse José Manuel Anes.

"Há sempre colaboração de um ou outro nacional nestas actividades de apoio logístico, de compra de armas, de conseguir dinheiro para as redes terroristas. Neste caso, foi preso o intermediário português do tráfico porque a relação entre o terrorismo e o tráfico organizado é uma coisa que se verifica cada vez mais", disse José Manuel Anes.

"Não somos alvo para já e esperemos que nunca sejamos. Mas mesmo não sendo alvo de algum atentado, devemos solidariedade e cooperação aos países que são", sublinhou.
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Weapons seized in the Algarve were aimed at terrorist groups who do not accept peace in Ireland

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Polícia e Tribunais
Armas apreendidas no Algarve destinavam-se a grupos terroristas que não aceitam paz na Irlanda.
Uma inscrição do Continuity IRA apela à continuação da guerra
9 July 2011
Jornal de Notícias

English translation:
Police and Courts
Weapons seized in the Algarve were aimed at terrorist groups who do not accept peace in Ireland.
An inscription of the Continuity IRA calls for the continuation of war
Terrorists buy weapons in the Algarve
Judicial concerns two Irish and intermediary of trafficking Portuguese
CARLOS VARELA

Weapons and ammunition intended for a dissident IRA terrorist group were apprehended by the National Counter-Terrorist Unit (UNCT) PJ in the Algarve, in an operation carried out in collaboration with the British Police. A Portuguese man and two Irishmen were arrested.

Weapons and ammunition were eventually destined to the group Real IRA, made up of dissidents from the IRA, but also with links to organized crime, particularly drug trafficking and weapons, and extortion.

The seized material (ten guns and 250 ammo) It was discovered during an operation, which took place in Olhão, after about a year and a half of investigations of the UNCT, in collaboration with the British authorities that have tried to dismantle the Real IRA, as well as other two groups, the Continuity IRA and Oglaigh na hÉireann. The weapons were seized at the time were being negotiated between the Portuguese and the Irish.

These groups emerged after the abandonment of armed struggle by the IRA. More radical elements and younger have created these three groups, which led MI5 - the British secret service men to step up to operate in Northern Ireland.

The two Irishmen were arrested by judicial police arrived a few days in Portugal, after an intermediary contacts with the Portuguese arms deal, which promised to get some. Contacts have been established using possibly elements of the Irish community in Portugal.

In 2009, two IRA Real Irish then went on trial in Belfast for the murder of two British soldiers, but the truth is that those two elements of the Real IRA, McCaugherty Paul Anthony and Michael Gregory, had been in the Algarve, Alvor, in 2005 and 2006, exploring a coffee in Alvor, but at the same time, arms trafficking to supply the terrorist organization.

But sources at the JN PJ guaranteed that there is no relationship between the two arrests, nor between the two groups concerned. The two Irish prisoners now in the Algarve by the UNCT has already belong to a generation of Irish terrorists, strongly linked to organized crime. In 2008 the Spanish authorities also found a smuggler connections Portuguese - Costa Virott Frederick of alcohol and tobacco - two elements of the IRA, a financing activity of that organization.

This time, the UNCT has found clear evidence that the weapons to terrorist groups would also feed organized crime as a way to finance the activities of the Real IRA.

ORIGINAL:
Polícia e Tribunais
Armas apreendidas no Algarve destinavam-se a grupos terroristas que não aceitam paz na Irlanda. Uma inscrição do Continuity IRA apela à continuação da guerra
9 July 2011
Jornal de Notícias
Terroristas compravam armas no Algarve
Judiciária prende dois irlandeses e intermediário do tráfico português
CARLOS VARELA

Armas e munições destinadas a um grupo terrorista dissidente do IRA foram apreendidas pela Unidade Nacional Contra-Terrorista (UNCT( da PJ, no Algarve, numa operação realizada em colaboração com a Polícia inglesa. Um português e dois irlandeses foram detidos.

As armas e munições seriam, eventualmente, destinadas ao grupo IRA Verdadeiro, composto por dissidentes do IRA, mas também com ligações ao crime organizado, em particular ao tráfico de drogas e de armas e extorsão.

O material apreendido (dez pistolas e 250 munições(, foi descoberto durante uma operação, que decorreu em Olhão, após cerca de ano e meio de investigações da UNCT, em colaboração com as autoridades inglesas, que têm tentado desmantelar o Ira Verdadeiro, assim como outros dois grupos, o Continuity IRA e o Oglaigh na hEireann. As armas foram apreendidas no momento em que estavam a ser negociadas entre o português e os irlandeses.

Estes grupos surgiram após o abandono da luta armada por parte do IRA. Elementos mais radicais e mais jovens criaram estes três grupos, que levaram o MI5 - os serviços secretos ingleses a reforçarem os homens a operar na Irlanda do Norte.

Os dois irlandeses detidos pela Polícia Judiciária tinham chegado há alguns dias a Portugal, depois de contactos estabelecidos com um intermediário português do negócio de armas, que se comprometera a conseguir algumas. Os contactos terão sido estabelecidos com recurso, possivelmente, a elementos da comunidade irlandesa em Portugal.

Em 2009, dois irlandeses do então Real IRA começaram a ser julgados em Belfast pelo homicídio de dois soldados britânicos, mas a verdade é que aqueles dois elementos do Real IRA, Paul Anthony McCaugherty e Michael Gregory, já tinham estado no Algarve, no Alvor, em 2005 e 2006, explorando um café no Alvor, mas, ao mesmo tempo, traficando armas para abastecer a organização terrorista.

Mas fontes da PJ garantiram ao JN que não há qualquer relação entre as duas detenções, nem entre os dois grupos em causa. Os dois irlandeses presos agora no Algarve pela UNCT já pertencerão a uma geração de terroristas irlandeses, intensamente ligados ao crime organizado. Em 2008 as autoridades espanholas também descobriram ligações de um contrabandista português - Frederico da Costa Virott de álcool e tabaco - a dois elementos do IRA, numa actividade de financiamento daquela organização.

Desta vez a UNCT encontrou elementos claros de que as armas destinadas a grupos terroristas iriam também alimentar o crime organizado, como forma de financiar as actividades do IRA Verdadeiro.

PAUL MCERLANE / REUTERS
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Weapons seized in the Algarve were aimed at terrorist groups who do not accept peace in Ireland

0 comments

Police and Courts
Weapons seized in the Algarve were aimed at terrorist groups who do not accept peace in Ireland.
An inscription of the Continuity IRA calls for the continuation of war
9 July 2011
Journal News
Portuguese

GOOGLE TRANSLATION / FOLLOWED BY ORIGINAL:


Terrorist weapons bought in the Algarve
Judicial holds Irish and two intermediate trafficking Portuguese
CARLOS VARELA

Weapons and ammunition intended for a dissident IRA terrorist group were apprehended by the National Counter-Terrorist Unit (UNCT (PJ in the Algarve, in an operation carried out in collaboration with the British Police. A Portuguese man and two Irishmen were arrested.

Weapons and ammunition were eventually destined to the group Real IRA, made up of dissidents from the IRA, but also with links to organized crime, particularly drug trafficking and weapons, and extortion.

The seized material (ten guns and 250 ammo (It was discovered during an operation, which took place in Olhão, after about a year and a half of investigations of the UNCT, in collaboration with the British authorities that have tried to dismantle the Real IRA, as well as other two groups, the Continuity IRA and Oglaigh na hÉireann. The weapons were seized at the time were being negotiated between the Portuguese and the Irish.

These groups emerged after the abandonment of armed struggle by the IRA. More radical elements and younger have created these three groups, which led MI5 - the British secret service men to step up to operate in Northern Ireland.

The two Irishmen were arrested by judicial police arrived a few days in Portugal, after an intermediary contacts with the Portuguese arms deal, which promised to get some. Contacts have been established using possibly elements of the Irish community in Portugal.

In 2009, two IRA Real Irish then went on trial in Belfast for the murder of two British soldiers, but the truth is that those two elements of the Real IRA, McCaugherty Paul Anthony and Michael Gregory, had been in the Algarve, Alvor, in 2005 and 2006, exploring a coffee in Alvor, but at the same time, arms trafficking to supply the terrorist organization.

But sources at the JN PJ guaranteed that there is no relationship between the two arrests, nor between the two groups concerned. The two Irish prisoners now in the Algarve by the UNCT has already belong to a generation of Irish terrorists, strongly linked to organized crime. In 2008 the Spanish authorities also found a smuggler connections Portuguese - Costa Virott Frederick of alcohol and tobacco - two elements of the IRA, a financing activity of that organization.

This time, the UNCT has found clear evidence that the weapons to terrorist groups would also feed organized crime as a way to finance the activities of the Real IRA.

PAUL MCERLANE / REUTERS

ORIGINAL:

Polícia e Tribunais
Armas apreendidas no Algarve destinavam-se a grupos terroristas que não aceitam paz na Irlanda. Uma inscrição do Continuity IRA (foto( apela à continuação da guerra
9 July 2011
Jornal de Notícias
Portuguese

Terroristas compravam armas no Algarve

Judiciária prende dois irlandeses e intermediário do tráfico português

CARLOS VARELA

carlos.varela@jn.pt

Armas e munições destinadas a um grupo terrorista dissidente do IRA foram apreendidas pela Unidade Nacional Contra-Terrorista (UNCT( da PJ, no Algarve, numa operação realizada em colaboração com a Polícia inglesa. Um português e dois irlandeses foram detidos.

As armas e munições seriam, eventualmente, destinadas ao grupo IRA Verdadeiro, composto por dissidentes do IRA, mas também com ligações ao crime organizado, em particular ao tráfico de drogas e de armas e extorsão.

O material apreendido (dez pistolas e 250 munições(, foi descoberto durante uma operação, que decorreu em Olhão, após cerca de ano e meio de investigações da UNCT, em colaboração com as autoridades inglesas, que têm tentado desmantelar o Ira Verdadeiro, assim como outros dois grupos, o Continuity IRA e o Oglaigh na hEireann. As armas foram apreendidas no momento em que estavam a ser negociadas entre o português e os irlandeses.

Estes grupos surgiram após o abandono da luta armada por parte do IRA. Elementos mais radicais e mais jovens criaram estes três grupos, que levaram o MI5 - os serviços secretos ingleses a reforçarem os homens a operar na Irlanda do Norte.

Os dois irlandeses detidos pela Polícia Judiciária tinham chegado há alguns dias a Portugal, depois de contactos estabelecidos com um intermediário português do negócio de armas, que se comprometera a conseguir algumas. Os contactos terão sido estabelecidos com recurso, possivelmente, a elementos da comunidade irlandesa em Portugal.

Em 2009, dois irlandeses do então Real IRA começaram a ser julgados em Belfast pelo homicídio de dois soldados britânicos, mas a verdade é que aqueles dois elementos do Real IRA, Paul Anthony McCaugherty e Michael Gregory, já tinham estado no Algarve, no Alvor, em 2005 e 2006, explorando um café no Alvor, mas, ao mesmo tempo, traficando armas para abastecer a organização terrorista.

Mas fontes da PJ garantiram ao JN que não há qualquer relação entre as duas detenções, nem entre os dois grupos em causa. Os dois irlandeses presos agora no Algarve pela UNCT já pertencerão a uma geração de terroristas irlandeses, intensamente ligados ao crime organizado. Em 2008 as autoridades espanholas também descobriram ligações de um contrabandista português - Frederico da Costa Virott de álcool e tabaco - a dois elementos do IRA, numa actividade de financiamento daquela organização.

Desta vez a UNCT encontrou elementos claros de que as armas destinadas a grupos terroristas iriam também alimentar o crime organizado, como forma de financiar as actividades do IRA Verdadeiro.

PAUL MCERLANE / REUTERS
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Portugal dismantled a terrorist support group IRA dissidents

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Portugal dismantled a terrorist support group IRA dissidents 
09 July 2011
in the Algarve
On Myspace


Google Translation (followed by original article):

Portuguese police have broken up a support group for dissident IRA terrorists, and arrested two Irish and one Portuguese, in addition to seizing a batch of weapons and ammunition, officials said.

The authorities gave no details Lusas on the operation, performed in collaboration with the British authorities for several months, but in a statement confirmed the arrest of the suspects, who are on remand.

According to police leaks lusos collected by various means, the police have seized a consignment of arms and ammunition after posting the home of one of the suspects, who were arrested in the town of Olhao, in the southern region of Algarve.

Authorities are investigating the three men belonging to a network supplying arms and helping to fund dissident groups of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) which did not accept the peace process in Northern Ireland and are still active.

The operation was conducted by the National Unit of Combating Terrorism lusa Judicial Police, which also investigates the link between the detainees and drug trafficking networks and weapons of Portugal.

****************************

ORIGINAL:

Portugal desarticula un grupo de apoyo a terroristas disidentes del IRA
09 July 2011
en el algarve


En Tuenti
La policía portuguesa ha desarticulado un grupo de apoyo a terroristas disidentes del IRA, y ha detenido a dos irlandeses y un portugués, además de incautarse de un lote de armas y municiones, informaron hoy fuentes oficiales.
Las autoridades lusas no dieron detalles sobre la operación, realizada en colaboración con las autoridades británicas desde hace varios meses, pero confirmaron en un comunicado la detención de los sospechosos, que se encuentran en prisión preventiva.
Según filtraciones policiales recogidas por varios medios lusos, la Policía se ha incautado de una partida de armas y municiones tras registrar el domicilio de uno de los sospechosos, que fueron detenidos en la localidad de Olhao, en la región meridional del Algarve.
Las autoridades investigan la pertenencia de los tres hombres a una red que suministraba armas y ayudaba a financiar a grupos disidentes del Ejército Republicano Irlandés (IRA) que no aceptaron el proceso de paz en Irlanda del Norte y siguen activos.
La operación fue realizada por la Unidad Nacional de Combate al Terrorismo de la Policía Judicial lusa, que investiga también la vinculación de los detenidos con redes de tráfico de drogas y armas de Portugal.


http://www.elcorreo.com/vizcaya/20110709/mas-actualidad/mundo/portugal-desarticula-grupo-apoyo-201107091529.html
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Press Review of Lisbon - July 9, 2011

0 comments

Press Review of Lisbon
9 July 2011
Lusa - Service Economy
Portuguese


The corporate debt and municipal and state holding elements in the Algarve of the Irish terrorist group the Real IRA issues are now highlighted in the press.

The Daily News (DN) writes that the municipal debt of 281 companies is 1.5 billion, adding that the government will negotiate with the 'troika' non-merger of municipalities.

The Government said that the "state enterprises should 130 million to suppliers" and that companies in the construction sector are the most penalized 12 for the debts of state enterprises.

The News Journal (JN) makes headlines with the arrest by the Judicial Police in Olhão elements allegedly members of the Real IRA terrorist group with arms shipments and writes title "Algarve's nest of terrorists."


The same issue is highlighted by the other morning to title "IRA terrorists in the Algarve" (Morning Post), "PJ has three suspects with links to the IRA" (Public), "PJ catches in the Algarve network connected to the IRA" (DN) and "Judicial Police dismantles terrorist network in the Algarve and in Lisbon" (paper I).

The newspaper headline i do with the different positions of President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, on the rating agencies and writes. "Cavaco 2010: There is no point blaming the rating agencies" - Cavaco 2011: "The U.S. agencies are a threat."

On the same subject, the DN writes "attacks Cavaco agencies, but doubts that Fitch Portugal to meet deficit."

The discussion of rating agencies is also the headline in the Express, which leaves critical government securitization Moody's in the hands of Brussels ", adding that whatever steps response to rating agencies is made by the EU.

The Correio da Manha said that the GNR is investigating suspicions of crime in the accident that killed the singer and actor Angelico Vieira and publishes an interview with the new Justice Minister, Paula Teixeira da Cruz, which guarantees that "ended the absolute impunity in corruption. "

"200,000 homeless families until December" (newspaper i) "A number of pharmacies without drugs and without money to buy" (DN) and "Socrates still official Chamber of Covilhã" (CM) are other titles in the press today.

The sports press highlights the proposals of the Sport Lisboa e Benfica for hiring the average Belgian Standard de Liège, Alex Witsel, and Brazilian defender Danilo Santos. "Witsel ready to Benfica" writes Ball, while the Record's headline reads "Final Attack", highlighted the emerging picture of two players.

The headline makes a similar game, who writes "Attack Witsel and Danilo" by Benfica.

*************************
ORIGINAL:

Revista de imprensa de Lisboa
9 July 2011
Agência Lusa - Serviço Economia
Portuguese

A dívida das empresas do Estado e municipais e a detenção no Algarve de elementos do grupo terrorista irlandês IRA Verdadeiro são hoje temas em destaque na imprensa.

O Diário de Notícias (DN) escreve que as dívidas de 281 empresas municipais é de 1,5 mil milhões, adiantando que o Governo vai negociar com a 'troika' a não fusão de autarquias.

O Público adianta que as "empresas do Estado devem 130 milhões a fornecedores" e que as empresas do setor da construção são as mais penalizadas pelas dívidas de 12 empresas do Estado.

O Jornal de Notícias (JN) faz manchete com a detenção pela Polícia Judiciária em Olhão de elementos supostamente membros do grupo terrorista irlandês IRA Verdadeiro com carregamentos de armas e escreve em título "Algarve é Ninho de terroristas".

O mesmo assunto é destacado pelos restantes matutinos que titulam "Terroristas do IRA no Algarve" (Correio da Manhã), "PJ detém três suspeitos com ligações ao IRA" (Público), "PJ apanha no Algarve rede ligada ao IRA" (DN) e "Polícia Judiciária desmantela rede terrorista no Algarve e em Lisboa" (jornal i).

O jornal i faz manchete com as diferentes posições do Presidente da República, Cavaco Silva, sobre as agências de rating e escreve. "Cavaco 2010: Não vale a pena recriminar as agências de rating" - Cavaco 2011: "As agências norte-americanas são uma ameaça".

Sobre o mesmo assunto, o DN escreve "Cavaco ataca agências, mas Fitch duvida que Portugal cumpra défice".

A discussão em torno das agências de rating faz também a manchete do Expresso, que titula Governo deixa críticas da Moody's nas mãos de Bruxelas", adiantando que Passos quer que resposta às agências de rating seja feita pela UE.

O Correio da Manhã adianta que a GNR está a investigar suspeitas de crime no acidente que causou a morte ao cantor e ator Angélico Vieira e publica uma entrevista com a nova ministra da Justiça, Paula Teixeira da Cruz, que garante que "terminou a impunidade absoluta na corrupção".

"200 mil famílias ficam sem casa até dezembro" (jornal i) "Várias farmácias sem remédios e sem dinheiro para os comprar"(DN) e "Sócrates ainda funcionário da Câmara da Covilhã" (CM) são outros títulos da imprensa de hoje.

A imprensa desportiva destaca as propostas do Sport Lisboa e Benfica para a contratação do médio belga do Standard de Liége, Alex Witsel, e do defesa brasileiro Danilo, do Santos. "Witsel pronto para o Benfica" escreve A Bola, enquanto na manchete do Record se lê "Ataque Final", surgindo em destaque as fotos dos dois jogadores.

Semelhante manchete faz O Jogo, que escreve "Ataque a Witsel e Danilo" pelo Benfica.
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Expert says that Portugal is becoming "attractive" to terrorists

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Perito diz que Portugal se está a tornar "apetecível" para terroristas; Presidente do Observatório de Segurança e Terrorismo
9 July 2011
Publico Online
Portuguese


Google Translation (followed by original article):

The President of the Security and Terrorism Observatory said today that the peripheral location makes Portugal "desirable" for the operations of terrorist groups.

"We are in a peripheral area that is desirable. It is no less under surveillance. It is evident that they [terrorists] know that we do not have terrorism on the first page of our security agenda, but there has been a minimum of international cooperation and attention of our authority to detain these individuals and dismantle these groups will be established around here, "said José Manuel Anes.

The President of the Observatory on Security, Organized Crime and Terrorism (OSCOT) comments on the arrest yesterday in Olhão two elements of an alleged breakaway faction of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the self-styled IRA-True (Real IRA).

The operation, which develops several months ago, was in charge of the National Counter Terrorism Unit of the PJ and the Central Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution (DCIAP) in collaboration with the British authorities.

According to the press release issued yesterday, the authorities conducted several house searches the house of the accused and seized "ten 250 firearms and ammunition, which were in possession of one of the detainees," said PJ. The detainees, aged between 38 and 59 years, will be presented to the competent judicial authorities for the first interrogation.

PJ said second source of the public, the suspects are involved in organized crime groups in Northern Ireland, but the suspicions go further and associate arrested on dissident groups from the IRA, a terrorist organization, but on 28 July announced in 2005 that ended the "armed struggle" and handed weapons.
  
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ORIGINAL
  
O presidente do Observatório de Segurança e Terrorismo disse hoje que a localização periférica torna Portugal "apetecível" para operações de grupos terroristas.

"Estamos numa zona periférica que é apetecível. Não é por termos menos vigilância. É evidente que eles [terroristas] sabem que não temos o terrorismo na primeira página da nossa agenda de segurança, mas tem havido um mínimo de cooperação internacional e de atenção das nossas autoridades para poder deter estes indivíduos e desmantelar estes grupos que por cá se vão estabelecendo", disse José Manuel Anes.

O presidente do Observatório de Segurança, Criminalidade Organizada e Terrorismo (OSCOT) comentava assim a detenção ontem em Olhão de dois presumíveis elementos de uma facção dissidente do Exército Republicano Irlandês (IRA), o auto-intitulado IRA-Verdadeiro.

A operação, que se desenvolve há vários meses, esteve a cargo da Unidade Nacional contra Terrorismo da PJ e do Departamento Central de Investigação e Acção Penal (DCIAP) em colaboração com as autoridades inglesas.

Segundo o comunicado de imprensa divulgado ontem, as autoridades realizaram várias buscas domiciliárias a casa dos arguidos e apreenderam "dez armas de fogo e 250 munições, que se encontravam na posse de um dos detidos", adiantou a PJ. Os detidos, com idades compreendidas entre os 38 anos e os 59 anos, vão ser presentes às autoridades judiciárias competentes para primeiro interrogatório.

Segundo adiantou fonte da PJ ao PÚBLICO, os suspeitos estão envolvidos a grupos de crime organizado na Irlanda do Norte, mas as suspeitas vão mais longe e associam os detidos a grupos dissidentes do IRA, uma organização considerada terrorista, mas que em 28 de Julho de 2005 anunciou ter posto fim à "luta armada" e entregou as armas.
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Discovery of 'bomb-making factory' leads to two arrests

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Dissident Republican threat - Discovery of 'bomb-making factory' leads to two arrests
28 June 2011
The Irish News
Allison Morris

The discovery of what police in Co Louth believe was a dissident bomb-making factory has led to the latest in a series of high-profile arrests linked to a paramilitary crackdown in the area.

Garda are linking Saturday's intelligence-led find to the dissident republican organisation Oglaigh na hEireann.

Two men in their fifties were arrested and were still being questioned last night in relation to dissident republican activity.

Materials including partially mixed fertiliser explosives were found in a farmhouse and shed.

Around 100kg of homemade explosives are said to have been discovered along with 120kg of unmixed ammonium nitrate which is used in the construction of bombs.

A controlled explosion was later carried out by the Irish army on a mortar said to be under construction at the site in Hackballscross.

Police have described the find as "significant".

It follows a number of previous high-profile arrests in the area.

In May last year Conan Murphy, son of veteran Co Louth republican Colm Murphy, was arrested in Dundalk in connection with a suspected bomb-making factory.

Mr Murphy (23), from the Mount Pleasant area of Dundalk, was charged with unlawfully possessing explosive materials and is due to stand trial in November at Dublin's Special Criminal Court.

Arrested alongside him was Philip McKevitt (56), also of Mount Pleasant, who faces the same charge. Both men are on continuing bail.

Colm Murphy was previously acquitted of conspiracy charges relating to the 1998 Omagh bombing, which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins.

In an interview with The Irish News he claimed his son's arrest was the result of a cover-up by the authorities after the unmasking of an informer working for security forces on both sides of the border

Dermot Gregory, who also went by the name Michael Dermott, had been charged in connection with a plot to acquire guns from mainland Europe for the Real IRA.

However, Gregory turned out to be an informer working for both Britain's MI5 and the intelligence agencies in the Republic.

Then in December last year four men, including two from Co Armagh, were arrested after being stopped in a car close to the border during a sting operation carried out by the Garda Special Detective Unit and the elite armed Emergency Response Unit.

Patrick Tierney (25), of Drumarg Park, and Patrick Gordon (22), from Newtownhamilton Road, both in Armagh, were charged with unlawfully possessing a mortar and mortar launcher.

Dundalk men Dalton McKevitt (35) and Niall Farrell (34) were both charged with Real IRA membership and possessing a mortar.

An improvised mortar and launch tube, described as viable, was discovered when the car was stopped at the N1 dual carriageway just north of Dundalk in Co Louth.

At the time a Garda spokesman said he believed the mortar was being transported to Northern Ireland for use in an attack against a military target.
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