If one were picking a cast and choosing a factual background for the purpose of perpetrating hoax bomb finds, none better could be chosen than that found in Donegal in the early 1990s, the Morris tribunal has been told.
"All the circumstances were ripe for a major fraud to be perpetrated in Donegal in the early 1990s, and it is submitted that there was indeed "something rotten in the State of Donegal" at that time", Mr Paul Murray BL said.
Mr Murray was concluding his submission on behalf of Ms Adrienne McGlinchey, the Letterkenny woman who claims she was blackmailed into posing as an IRA member and informer by two Donegal gardaí, Det Garda Noel McMahon and Supt Kevin Lennon. Both gardaí deny these allegations.
Mr Murray said the main personalities involved were:
A woman (Ms McGlinchey) who was vulnerable in the circumstances to being pressurised, and whose best friend was the niece of a notorious terrorist.
A detective garda (Noel McMahon) with an alcohol problem who was very friendly with a superior officer (Kevin Lennon) who could offer him protection.
Supt Kevin Lennon himself, moving through the ranks, who wished to boost his career by being involved in IRA finds and who was trusted by his superior officers.
A border superintendent (Denis Fitzpatrick) who was new to the job and who accordingly relied heavily on the judgement of Supt Lennon.
Mr Murray contended that the background, where Garda policy was to seize material rather than mount surveillance, in a busy Border county where the suspicious nature of any finds was unlikely to be noted, meant "the circumstances were ripe for a major fraud to be perpetrated".
"Ms McGlinchey has been much vilified at the tribunal, in terms of her alleged IRA activities," Mr Murray stated.
"She has been accused of involvement in or knowledge of heinous acts." "Whilst she was initially reticent - in the light of pressure placed upon her - in telling the full and remarkable story which she had to tell, she ultimately did so, and her determination that the truth will out has continued to this tribunal."
To this end, Ms McGlinchey had waived any right to privilege she might have had as an alleged informer in order to permit the introduction into evidence of C77 reports allegedly emanating from her, "though her wish that all of the evidence given in this regard be heard in public was not realised".
C77 forms are used by gardaí to record intelligence on subversive activities.
"Many if not all of the C77s could easily have been introduced in open evidence, with names or places being redacted where appropriate, without there being any implications for national security," Mr Murray submitted on behalf of his client.
"However, for whatever reason, the Garda commissioner was not so inclined," Mr Murray added.