Siobhan Browne, one of four people accused of conspiring to buy guns in a case involving alleged shipment of arms from Florida to the IRA, has pleaded guilty, her lawyer said yesterday.
Mr Albert Levin said Browne pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate a firearms purchasing statute in Fort Lauderdale on Monday. Charges involving terrorism links were dropped. She will be sentenced in June. Mr Levin said she was not co-operating with the prosecution against the other three accused, who are to go on trial at the end of April.
Browne has denied being a member of the IRA, a stance accepted by the prosecution, maintaining she bought guns at the request of her boyfriend, Mr Anthony Smyth (42).
The four - Browne, Mr Smyth, Mr Conor Claxton (26) and Mr Martin Mullan (28) - were arrested last July in south Florida and Philadelphia on charges of conspiracy and illegally exporting guns.
Mr Smyth and Mr Mullan are from Belfast. Mr Claxton and Mr Browne are from the Irish Republic. The IRA has denied involvement.
They are accused of providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to murder and maim individuals in Northern Ireland, and offences related to the illegal purchases and shipment of guns. They face maximum terms of life imprisonment if convicted.
The indictment alleged that from January 1999 until their arrest they obtained more than 90 handguns and shotguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, including .50-calibre armour-piercing ammunition.