Page "Michael McKevitt" Paragraph 3

McKevitt was convicted by the Republic of Ireland's non-jury Special Criminal Court on 6 August 2003 of two terrorist offences: " membership of an illegal organisation " ( the Real IRA ) and " directing terrorism " between 29 August 1999 and 23 October 2000.

He was the first person to be convicted of the latter offence, introduced in the aftermath of the Omagh Bombing.

The prosecution case was based on the testimony of an American FBI informant, David Rupert.

According to information revealed in his trial, among his plans was to attempt the assassination of the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair.