‘LEO TO GET IT THIS WEEK’
»»‘Bomb threat’ trial is told of Varadkar claims »»Accused’s interviews with cops aired in court
A MAN accused of phoning in a false bomb threat against Justice Minister Helen Mcentee allegedly told gardai Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was to “get it this week”.
Michael Murray, 52, has pleaded not guilty to one count of knowingly making a false report while he was inside the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on March 7, 2021.
The jury of eight men and four women previously heard an anonymous caller claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army phoned the Samaritans.
They claimed explosives had been planted at the home of Ms Mcentee but no such substances were found.
On the sixth day of the trial yesterday, the court was shown videos of interviews between gardai and the accused from March 26, 2021, during which Murray said a crowd, named the Criminal Revenge Group, was behind the threat and he could negotiate with them for it to stop.
The accused also told gardai it was “nothing personal” and he “wouldn’t like to see” Ms Mcentee getting hurt.
He further claimed the decision to make the phone call was made about a week beforehand.
The court later heard gardai eventually called to Portlaoise Prison in August 2021, at the accused’s request.
He then allegedly told them he was the person who made the phone call and had done so out of “frustration”.
Detective Garda Pat Muldowney’s notes said the accused told them: “I wish to say that I was the person who made the call at 10 o’clock. I did so in frustration over a previous case.”
Murray allegedly told gardai he wanted the case to be “disposed of ” as it was “drawing adverse attention” on himself and added “she’s [Mcentee] trying to raise a new child”.
That alleged conversation came after gardai had interviewed the accused in March of that year and he denied making the call.
Det Gda Muldowney told the court following the first interview he joined a conversation his colleague Garda Brian Mccabe was having with the accused in the custody area.
Det Gda Muldowney said it was during that chat Murray “mentioned Freddie Thompson” and the “plight of criminals convicted by the Special Criminal Court”.
He said the accused said “target the minister to highlight the issue” and that explosives were “supposed to be” at her house on March 7, 2021.
Murray is alleged to have said the property had a drainage pipe and sewerage where the explosives were supposed to be placed.
He said Murray then said “Leo is to get it this week,” and there was a “legitimate threat” to the Tanaiste and Justice Minister.
He said “accepted he made the call to the Samaritans”.
Det Gda Muldowney and his colleague conducted a final interview with Murray which was also recorded and filmed at Portlaoise Garda Station on March 26, 2021.
Gardai asked Murray, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, about a call made from his cell on March 7. Murray said he “just made a phone call to the
Samaritans. That’s all I can say about it”. He alleged he had talked about mental health issues but did not say anything about a bomb threat.
Asked to tell gardai about the call, the accused responded by saying there are “bigger issues at play that need to be addressed”. Gardai asked Murray to tell them about the issues to which he said “everything is being narrowed down to just a phone call”.
Murray said the second thing was “disclosure” in relation to it and then the “minister’s house and minister’s family” would be left alone.
He said Ms Mcentee “has the power to pick up the phone tomorrow morning. Is it worth losing something to her or is it not”.
Murray added: “At the end of the day crime and security can only do so much and gardai can only do so much as well.” Gardai asked Murray if there is a credible threat to Ms Mcentee to which he responded: “I believe there would be yeah. Not just her.” He added he believed there was a serious threat “against Leo as well”. He told gardai he believed there was a threat on these people “because of their own actions” and the establishment of a second Special Criminal Court.
Gardai asked the accused if he was part of the credible threat to which he said: “It’s alleged that I am yeah.”
He was then asked again and said: “I’m not aligning myself to it, no.”
Murray was asked by gardai if he got the disclosure he was looking for in another case would the threats go away.
The accused said he thinks “there’s more at play than just my disclosure. I can’t say it will go away.
No that’s unlikely at the end of the day”. Murray then said he had the power to reach an agreement with those responsible.
He claimed he was asked to negotiate between “Brian Rattigan and Freddie Thompson,” and Brian came to thrash out a “peace deal” in prison.
Gardai put it to the accused they were there to investigate the call made to the Samaritans at 8.28pm on March 7, 2021 in which the person made a threat against Ms Mcentee.
They said the phone call was traced to Murray’s cell, of which he accepts he was the only occupant.
Murray was again asked if he made that call to which he said: “No,” adding when there’s dirt you “shake it up.”
He said he could negotiate with people and could “stop the thing with Leo as well.” Murray added: “I’ve no problem doing that if it’s a level playing field,” adding if it wasn’t then people could “face consequences”.
He said the phone call was done to “shake the dirt” and he had no personal gripe with Ms Mcentee and wished her well in her pregnancy.
Murray was also asked about any possible future threats to which he said he didn’t know them all but does believe that there “may be threats on people out there”.
Asked who he said “Leo Varadkar I suppose,” and “Helen Mcentee”.
He also told gardai that “one of the civil servants in the Department of Justice” was “being watched as well”.
Gardai put it to the accused that anyone who reads the notes of this interview would say “look there’s a threat, there’s another threat”.
Murray said: “It’s not a threat. More of a ransom than a threat.”
He also said he has “no grievance against Helen” and said he needs to get evidence for an ongoing trial.
The trial continues.
Crime and security can only do so much & gardai can only do so much as well MICHAEL MURRAY DURING HIS INTERVIEWS WITH GARDAI