The STORY of a former Northern Ireland civil rights activist on trial for fraud in Portugal took a bizarre twist over the weekend when it emerged that he had been assisting the FBI in Europe.
Liverpool-born Professor David Lowry, who studied law at Queen's University Belfast and supported the civil rights campaign there in the late 1960s, was arrested in Lisbon in April 1997 following a raid on the offices of his telemarketing company, Paramount Portugal Consulting. This company engaged in the international marketing of shares.
He was held in prison without charge or bail for a year, and in April 1998 was charged with "aggravated fraud, criminal association, forgery and unauthorised creation of a database". He was still denied bail.
He has denied all the charges and filed seven appeals against them. He is also seeking damages in the European Court of Human Rights for human rights violations.
Ironically, it was an inquiry from an Irish businessman to the Portuguese authorities about Prof Lowry's business which sparked off his initial arrest. This man, who does not wish to be identified for reasons unrelated to the case, told The Irish Times that he made a statement and was told he would not be required to give evidence.
The trial has gone on intermittently for almost a year, and a verdict is expected on Friday next.
In the meantime US law enforcement officers have taken the highly unusual step of revealing that Prof Lowry was assisting both them and international law enforcement agencies, both before and after his arrest.
In a letter to Mr Craig Heesch, a former FBI agent and friend of Prof Lowry's, who gave evidence on his behalf, the Utah County Attorney said: "I wish to extend to you and Mr David Lowry the appreciation of the Utah County Attorney's Office for your assistance.
"What started as a simple Securities Fraud case in the State of Utah has turned into an international racketeering investigation involving numerous offices of the US Federal Government as well as the United Kingdom . . . Mr Lowry's knowledge of the international banking community and your direct assistance in a number of undercover operations has made it possible for this office to put together a huge case and share that information with the other agencies involved."
A spokesman for the Office of the Utah County Attorney told The Irish Times that Mr Heesch and Prof Lowry were recommended to them by another state agency.
Because of the delicate stage of the investigation he could give no further details.
Prof Lowry, who has lectured in law in both Britain and the US, has specialised in international company and banking law in recent years, and has advised the FBI in the past.
Mr Craig Heesch, now based in Europe, consulted with Prof Lowry while he was in prison. "That shows that law enforcement in the US still has confidence in him," Mr Heesch told The Irish Times.
The Portuguese authorities learned of Prof Lowry's activities on behalf of the FBI from Mr Heesch a year ago.