McKevitt loses terrorism appeal

The reputed leader of the Real IRA Michael McKevitt has lost an appeal in Dublin against his conviction for directing terrorism.

McKevitt, 54, from Blackrock County Louth, is serving 20 years.

He lost his action at the Supreme Court in which he claimed his trial was unfair.

McKevitt claimed he did not get a fair trial because his team had not been supplied with all information relating to key witness, FBI agent David Rupert.

However, five Supreme Court judges ruled the conviction was safe and dismissed the appeal.

McKevitt was jailed by the Special Criminal Court in August 2003 for organising terrorist activities for the Real IRA.

The Court of Criminal Appeal upheld his conviction and McKevitt went to the Supreme Court.

His lawyers argued the Irish judiciary failed to have an appropriate system in place to disclose documents relating to prosecution witness David Rupert.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court found the prosecution depended to an overwhelming extent on the evidence of Mr Rupert.

Mr Rupert had been employed by both the FBI and the British security services.

The court heard that he had a somewhat "shady reputation", but Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan said "the fact that Mr Rupert may or may not have had a shady background and the fact that as a paid agent he might be suspect as a witness, at any rate are neither here nor there".

However, it was found that the prosecution's obligations of disclosure had been fulfilled because all reasonable efforts had been made in good faith to secure documentation.

It also found that the Special Criminal Court believed David Rupert, and that finding could not be interfered with.

Summing up his 41-page judgement Mr Justice Geoghegan added: "I believe the conviction to be safe and I would dismiss the appeal."

McKevitt is also one of five men being sued by the relatives of the Omagh bomb victims.