Jail term over car bomb

The Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

A man has been sentenced to three years in jail for his part in the construction of a bomb discovered in a car about to board a ferry in the Irish Republic.

John McNamara, 39, of Courtown Park, Kilcock, County Kildare, pleaded guilty to conspiring to cause an explosion between 19 March and 2 April, 1998.

The Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard a red BMW car was intercepted by gardai as it was about to board the ferry at Dun Laoghaire port on 2 April, 1998.

The car was found to contain 980lbs of home made explosives, an electric detonator, detonating cord, a time and power unit and a booster tube.

McNamara was arrested in August, 1998, and taken to Carrickmacross Garda Station where he gave a number of written statements to gardai.

'No political motivation'

The court heard that McNamara was involved in "stealing and ringing" cars which led to his involvement in the car bomb.

He told gardai that he was asked to fit heavy springs to the rear of the BMW and then to take the car to County Meath.

He was involved in mixing and transporting the explosives and and drove the car to a particular location, where it was then picked up by somebody else and taken to Dun Laoghaire.

A senior Garda officer told the court that McNamara had been threatened that he would "go into a hole in the ground" if he opened his mouth about his involvement.

He agreed that McNamara had no political or subversive motivation in getting involved.