Three cleared over 'gun running'

The weapons were found at Coventry Airport

Two women and a man have been cleared of funding terrorist gun smugglers.

Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Girvan said he could not be sure the trio knew they were sending money to America to buy guns and ammunition.

Maria Brogan, 30, McCamphill Pk; Patricia O'Kane, 29, Hillside Ave, both Dunloy; and Sean Burns, 29, Clonard Plc, Belfast, had denied the charges.

They had claimed they had been used and duped into sending more than £60,000 to five people in America.

The judge told the court that after "careful consideration," the Crown had not satisfied him "beyond a reasonable doubt" that they had "knowledge of the intended purpose" of the money they sent to the States.

The judge said that "accordingly, the court must acquit each defendant" of the charge of facilitating terrorist funds between January and July 1999.

Handshakes

Mr Justice Girvan added that he would "follow as closely as possible" the practice of the jury system and would therefore not give reasons for the acquittals.

As he cleared the trio Ms Brogan gave a sharp intake of breath and put her hands to her face while all three received hugs and handshakes from friends and family in the public gallery.

During the trial, Mr Justice Girvan had heard that that following investigations in the US, four people were arrested and convicted of gun smuggling: Conor Claxton, 32; Ms O'Kane's partner, Martin Mullan; 35, Anthony Smyth, 48; and Siobhan Browne, 35.

However, the US authorities are still hunting for Ms Brogan's brother, Michael, after the authorities in the UK and US uncovered 90 guns, 82 magazines for use with AK47 assault rifles and 1,066 assorted bullets hidden in posted packages.

Security personnel at Coventry Airport uncovered guns, magazines and bullets when they X-rayed 19 "seemingly innocuous packages" that had been sent to the Republic of Ireland from Florida in July 1999.