Convictions for IRA gun smuggling

Weapons were sent through the post

A United States jury has found three men guilty of buying and smuggling weapons for use by the IRA.

However, the court sitting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, cleared them on more serious charges of conspiracy to aid terrorists and to commit murder.

Defendants Conor Claxton, from west Belfast and Martin Mullan and Anthony Smyth, both US residents, but originally from Ireland, were charged last year in a 59-count indictment that alleged they bought guns in Florida to help arm the IRA.

Prosecutors said the three were opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process and had sent dozens of high-powered weapons hidden inside toys, video recorders and computers through the post.

Police intercepted 23 packages containing 122 guns and other weapons allegedly posted by the group in New York, at Coventry Airport in England and in the Republic of Ireland.

Accused could have faced life

The police replaced the guns with fakes and followed their progress through the post.

Claxton, 27, Mullan, a 30-year-old Philadelphia handyman, and Smyth, a 43-year-old car salesman from Weston, Fort Lauderdale, were arrested last July.

If they had been convicted of the terrorist conspiracy charges, they could have faced up to life in prison.

The IRA denied involvement in any attempt to smuggle arms into Northern Ireland when the guns were found, at a time which could have jeopardised the position of Sinn Fein - which has links with the paramilitary organisation - in the peace process.

'Fears for safety of Catholics'

During the month-long trial, Claxton insisted that only he knew about the gun smuggling and that he did not know it was illegal.

He told the court that militant Irish-Americans had pushed him to buy weapons because they feared Catholics in Northern Ireland would be in danger from loyalist paramilitaries and the security forces because of the IRA ceasefire and republican involvement in the Good Friday Agreement peace accord.

The defence said the purchases could be considered self-defence, given the years of bloodshed in Northern Ireland.

Mullan did not know the packages he posted for Claxton during a family holiday contained weapons, defence counsel said.

Smyth thought he was acting as a middleman for legitimate gun deals, his lawyer said.

'IRA peace commitment doubt'

After the verdict was read, Claxton turned to his family and supporters in the court and smiled, gave a thumbs up and hugged his attorney, Fred Haddad.

Claxton, Mullan and Smyth are to be sentenced on 18 August.

Siobhan Brown, Smyth's fiancée, was also arrested and pleaded guilty to one of 33 counts against her.

She is to be sentenced later this month.

Northern Ireland social affairs minister Nigel Dodds of the anti-agreement Democratic Unionist Party said the convictions were "a vindication for those who had called into question the IRA's commitment to peace".