Michael McKevitt

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Michael McKevitt (b. 4 September 1949[1]) is an Irish republican who was was convicted of directing terrorism as the leader of the paramilitary organisation, the Real IRA, which was responsible for the Omagh bombing (August 1998) which killed 29 people.

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McKevitt, a native of County Louth, was a longtime senior member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and served as the organisation's Quartermaster General, a role which gave him unique personal knowledge of the whereabouts of, and access to PIRA arms dumps. He quit the organisation in protest at the movement's ceasefires and its participation through Sinn Féin in the Irish peace process which led to the Belfast Agreement. McKevitt launched a dissident offshoot of the PIRA, called the Real IRA, using guns and weaponry he as the Quartermaster General of the PIRA had known the whereabouts of and had seized.[2][3]

McKevitt is married to Bernadette Sands McKevitt, a sister of 1981 PIRA hunger striker and MP, Bobby Sands, who died during his hunger strike.[3] Sands McKevitt was a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and had been described in media reports as the third highest ranking Real IRA officer.[4] However she also left the 32 County Sovereignty Movement following the imprisonment of her husband.[5]

McKevitt was convicted by the Republic of Ireland's non-jury Special Criminal Court on 6 August 2003 of two terrorist offences: "membership of an illegal organisation" (the Real IRA) and "directing terrorism" between August 29, 1999 and October 23, 2000.[6] He was the first person to be convicted of the latter offence, introduced in the aftermath of the Omagh Bombing. The prosecution case was based on the testimony of an American FBI informant, David Rupert.[7] According to information revealed in his trial, among his plans was to attempt the assassination of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.[8]

Mr. Justice Richard Johnson said of McKevitt, "[t]he accused played a leading role in the organisation which he directed and induced others to join." On 7 August 2003 he was sentenced to twenty years in prison.[7] Given all possible reductions and remission, it means that the earliest he can be released is 2016.[9]

McKevitt appealed his convictions to the Court of Criminal Appeal, arguing that Rupert's testimony was unreliable since he had been paid large sums of money for his role as an informant (a total of £750,000 from the FBI and MI5),[7] and because of Rupert's long criminal record. In December 2005, the court rejected these arguments and said that Rupert was a credible witness. Both of McKevitt's convictions were upheld. In July 2006 McKevitt was given leave to appeal to the Irish Republic's Supreme Court.[10]

McKevitt has since left the Real IRA after a disagreement between a group of Real IRA prisoners in Portlaoise Prison and the outside leadership. The prisoners issued a statement urging the leadership to stand down claiming a criminal element had taken over.[11] McKevitt and his supporters went on to form a group called The New Republican Forum.[12]

Previous to his arrest and jailing, McKevitt resided at Beech Park, Blackrock, County Louth. A website launched to highlight McKevitts case was launched in June 2006.[13]

  1. ^ Harnden, Toby (1999). Bandit Country. Hodder & Stoughton, pp. 188-189. ISBN 034071736X. 
  2. ^ Real IRA ready to blitz Britain. The Guardian. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Police fear Real IRA bomb blitz. The Guardian. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  4. ^ Trial told of `plot by Real IRA chief' to kidnap peers. The Independent. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  5. ^ The Framing of Michael McKevitt. Marcella Sands. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  6. ^ Republican dissident charged in Dublin. The Guardian. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  7. ^ a b c McKevitt sentenced to 20 years. The Guardian. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  8. ^ Leader of Real IRA 'gave details for Blair assassination'. The Scotsman. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  9. ^ Real IRA leader gets 20 years. The Guardian. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  10. ^ Challenge to Real IRA conviction. BBC News. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  11. ^ CAIN website.
  12. ^ New Republican Forum
  13. ^ McKevitt's website.

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