The FBI agent testifying against alleged "Real IRA" leader Mr Michael McKevitt told the group of journalists researching a book on his experiences that he had a "big box of republican memorabilia", the court heard today.
Mr David Rupert (51) said he collected items such as flyers for republican events and newspaper articles which his wife cut out of the Irish newspapers.
He kept them in a large box which he would dip into from time to time.
The US businessman collected the memorabilia while infiltrating dissident republican groups for the FBI and MI5 during the 1990s.
He told Dublin's Special Criminal Court that over a period of a few months he would fax a collection of articles from newspapers such as the Belfast Telegraphand The Irish Timesto the British security services.
The spy was also questioned about novels he read during his time in Ireland which could have given him an insight into the republican world.
He told the court he thought this was a "viable trade craft" but was not his only source of information on republicans.
The former trucking company boss is the key witness in the trial of Mr McKevitt (53) of Blackrock, Dundalk, Co Louth, who denies directing the "Real IRA" and being a member of the dissident republican group.
PA