The Omagh bombing was carried out jointly by the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA rather than just by the Real IRA alone, the trial at Belfast Crown Court of the man accused of murdering the 29 victims of the 1998 atrocity was told by an FBI agent yesterday.
Written evidence from David Rupert, an FBI agent who infiltrated dissident republican groups, also said that accused Seán Hoey had never been named by him to the FBI or the British Security Service as having been involved or associated in any way with the illegal republican groups. The judge in the non-jury trial is expected to retire to consider his verdict tomorrow following final submissions from the prosecution and defence.
Seán Hoey (37), an electrician from Molly Road, Jonesborough, denies 56 terrorist charges including the Omagh bombing.
At the end of day 54, defence council Orlando Pownall completed the submission of evidence to Mr Justice Weir with a written submission of evidence from David Rupert, which was agreed with the prosecution.
It stated that Mr Rupert was an FBI agent from in or about 1997 and that material and information emanating from him was believed to be accurate and reliable.
Mr Pownall said Mr Rupert had been recruited by dissident groups as a supporter and that the groups perceived him to be a person who might be in a position to provide equipment and funding for the organisations' activities, including the Continuity IRA between 1997-99 and the Real IRA between 1998 and 2001. He had met a number of people considered to be the organisers and leaders of the group.
Information supplied by Mr Rupert to the FBI was shared with the British Security Service. The information had named over 100 people from America and Ireland and had been supplied in various ways including e-mails to his handlers. The e-mails were contained in more than 2,000 pages of evidence given to the judge.
Mr Pownall said information from Mr Rupert included some about three individuals - whose identities he did not know - and who he called G1, G2 and G3 and introduced to him in 1999 and 2000 at meetings near Dundalk.
Mr Pownall said: "G2 was referred to in Rupert's presence as a 'bomb tech'. Rupert understood G1 and G3 to be involved in developing the technical means to carry out terrorist attacks including obtaining items for use in bombings, eg computer encryption software, remote detonators, infra-red night vision equipment and to seek procurement of such items through Rupert."
He said information suggested Hoey was not G1,G2 or G3, adding: "The defendant has never been named or described . . . in any of the information supplied by Rupert, as having been involved with the said illegal republican groups or associated with them in any way."