A member of the Garda National Surveillance Unit told the Special Criminal Court yesterday he saw FBI agent Mr David Rupert and alleged "Real IRA" leader Mr Michael McKevitt leave a house in Dundalk together.
Det Sgt Thomas Healy said he saw Mr Rupert arriving at a house in a cul-de-sac in Oaklands Park, Dundalk, on February 18th, 2000, in a car driven by the accused man's son, Mr Stephen McKevitt.
Mr Rupert went into the house and a short time later he observed the accused man arriving at the house in a van driven by another man and he also went into the house.
Det Sgt Healy said at 8.55 p.m., he saw Mr Rupert and Mr McKevitt and another man leaving the house. "Michael McKevitt and David Rupert stood together talking in the garden while the other male stood aside," he said.
Det Sgt Healy said that a short time later, Mr Rupert left the area in a car and shortly after that Mr McKevitt was picked up in a car by his son Stephen.
Cross-examined by Mr Philip Magee SC, he said he observed Mr Rupert and Mr McKevitt for about five minutes as they spoke in the garden. He told Mr Magee that he also saw a third unidentified man, whom he described as "chubby", coming out of the house. Det Sgt Healy said Mr Rupert and the unidentified male got into a blue Fiesta car that had pulled into the cul-de-sac.
Asked if he could describe what Mr McKevitt was wearing, he said he could not but that he knew Mr McKevitt well.
Questioned as to whether Mr McKevitt was wearing a cap or a jacket or trousers, the witness replied: "I'd have known if he had a skirt on."
"If you were there," Mr Magee retorted.
"If who was there? I was there, my lords," the witness replied.
Det Garda Kevin Moriarty, of the National Surveillance Unit, said he saw Mr Rupert attending a Republican Sinn Féin Ardfheis at the Europa Hotel outside Drogheda in November 1998 and saw him attending a meeting of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement at the Carrickdale Hotel, Co Louth, in June 2000.
Cross-examined by Mr Magee, Det Garda Moriarty said he had photographed Mr Rupert attending the meetings.