Ex-soldier jailed after arms find

Rosemary Nelson was murdered by a loyalist car bomb

A former Royal Irish Regiment soldier who had links with the right-wing extremist group Combat 18, has been jailed for nine years for storing loyalist arms.

Former Lance Corporal William Ian Thompson, 29, pleaded guilty to having guns and components for a pipe bomb with intent to endanger life.

Thompson was arrested last March when detectives investigating the death of Catholic solicitor Rosemary Nelson raided his home at Breezemount Manor, Hamiltonsbawn, five miles from Armagh city.

Mrs Nelson, a mother-of-three, died in a booby-trap car bomb near her home in Lurgan, County Armagh on 15 March 1999.

An Uzi sub-machinegun, sawn-off shotgun, 25 cartridges and pipe bomb components were found hidden in a lawnmower in the garage of Thompson's home.

'Fascist organisation'

Detectives also uncovered materials on the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force, Ulster Freedom Fighters and Loyalist Volunteer Force.

There was also material on murdered LVF leader Billy Wright and Combat 18 propaganda, which Mr Justice McLaughlin described as a "fascist organisation which glories in its associations with the thinking and philosophy of Hitler".

The judge at Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday told Thompson it was "impossible to conceive how he could sully his loyalty" to the country and army by associating with such a far-right wing group.

However, Mr Justice McLaughlin said he accepted the assertions of defence QC Anthony Cinnamond that while Thompson did not "wish to discuss the privately held political views that he holds, but whatever views he did hold, he does not hold them now".

At an earlier court hearing Mr Justice McLaughlin said that reading some of this material "made the blood run cold".

He said other passages on Mrs Nelson "had no place in a civilised society".

Thompson first made contact with Combat 18 while at a football match in London, and renewed those links when members of the neo-Nazi group came to Northern Ireland to attend loyalist demonstrations.

Splinter group

Mr Justice McLaughlin said Thompson was not in court for those links, but for allowing his garage to be used as a storeroom, albeit under some degree of persuasion or pressure.

But the judge said he had to pass a sentence which would "act as a deterrent to others".

A splinter loyalist group, the Red Hand Defenders, admitted responsibility for Mrs Nelson's murder.

Her family and campaign groups have called for an independent inquiry into the killing.