GARDA Richard Quinlivan told the Central Criminal Court how he arrested Mr Brendan O'Donnell on the morning of May 7th 1994.
He said he was driving an unmarked Garda car in the Woodford area of Co Galway early that day.
He came across a grey Volkswagen Golf which had stopped and he saw Mr O'Donnell beside the car. He was holding a girl by the arm, whom he now knew to be Ms Fiona Sampson, and he had a rifle at her head.
The garda said Mr O'Donnell was talking to the driver of the car, Mr Edward Cleary. He told him to get out of the fucking car".
The garda got out of his car and stood on the road. He said Mr O'Donnell turned towards the gardai, pointed the rifle at them and said something about blowing their brains out.
Mr O'Donnell again told Mr Cleary to get out of "the fucking car" Garda Quinlivan said. Mr Cleary got out of the car for a few seconds. Then Mr O'Donnell forced Mr Cleary back into the car and forced Ms Sampson into the rear of the car and got in.
The car moved forward, the witness said. The gardai followed in their car. The grey car travelled only a short distance and then appeared to be turning and reversing into the entrance of a house.
Garda Quinlivan said he again got out of his car. He heard gunshots and he ran to Mr Cleary's car. "When I reached it I could see a gun being dragged to and fro inside it and I could hear Fiona Sampson roaring."
He said another garda got to the car and was removing Mr O'Donnell. "I assisted him and put Brendan O'Donnell on the ground."
Garda Quinlivan said he then arrested Mr O'Donnell under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act for the unlawful possession of a firearm. He told Mr Kevin Haugh SC, prosecuting, he suspected Mr O'Donnell of that offence.
He put Mr O'Donnell into the Garda car and cautioned him.
He asked him if he understood he had been arrested and explained that the unlawful possession of a firearm was a scheduled offence. Mr O'Donnell said he understood, Garda Quinlivan said.