Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Real IRA boss in plot to blow up Prince Charles
Terror chief’s plan secretly bugged
A REAL IRA leader who plotted an explosion during Prince Charles’ visit to Ireland was convicted yesterday of directing the activities of a terrorist organisation.
Seamus Mcgrane, who was also found guilty of IRA membership, denied the charges.
The Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard the 63-year-old was secretly recorded discussing an operation involving explosives in the run-up to Prince Charles’ visit in 2015.
Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding at the non jury court, said there was “the clearest evidence of directing an illegal organisation”.
She said there were audio recordings from April and May 2015, of Mcgrane and IRA operative Donal O’coisdealbha in conversation in The Coachman’s Inn on the Airport Road, Dublin – a pub that had been bugged by garda detectives.
The terrorist had instructed O’coisdealbha about meeting other people and made statements about providing bomb-making material for others.
Mcgrane told O’coisdealbha: “Go with whatever plan you wish. I think he’s [Prince Charles] coming on the 19. I don’t like an embarrassment.”
The accused then mentioned “mili- tary significance”. Det Sgt Padraig Boyce said the location being discussed was near the Cross of Sacrifice, a monument in Glasnevin Cemetery commemorating British and Irish soldiers who fought in World War I.
The two men were also recorded discussing a bomb found on a train line in the North in February 2015 and an attack on MI5’S headquarters in London in April 2010.
The court heard gardai found bomb -making components in a field adjacent to Mcgrane’s house on Little Road, Dromiskin, Co Louth. He mentioned experimenting with the development of explosives and discussed strategy and his involvement in training people in the IRA and “swearing in” people to the organisation.
Mcgrane was convicted of directing the activities of an unlawful organisation, styling itself on the IRA between April and May 2015.
He was also found guilty of membership of the terror group between January 2010 and May 2015.
The accused is only the second person to be convicted of directing terrorism in the State after his ally Michael Mckevitt was jailed for 20 years in 2003 for the same offence.
Mcgrane was remanded in custody for sentencing on November 14.