Four men, including a former Eksund gun-runner, were convicted at the Special Criminal Court yesterday of having what was described by a senior garda as "one of the biggest bomb factories ever found in the State".
The four men, including Gabriel Cleary, from Dublin, who was arrested on the IRA gun-running vessel Eksund in 1987, will be sentenced today.
Bryan McNally (56), of Knocksinna Park, Foxrock, Co Dublin; John Conaty (37), of Balbutcher Park, Ballymun, Dublin; Gabriel Cleary (54), of Friarstown, Tallaght, Co Dublin; and Michael Cully (48), of Ballyfarrell, Clonaslee, Co Laois, were found guilty of having explosive substances, including timers, mortar components, Semtex and other bomb-making equipment with intent to endanger life at Ballyfarrell, Clonaslee, on June 20th, 1996.
Cully was also convicted of having explosives, a Bren machinegun and a Luger pistol found in an underground bunker at the farm with intent to endanger life on the same date.
Conaty was found guilty of having a semi-automatic pistol and seven rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life on the same date. The farm's owner, Thomas Conroy (76), pleaded guilty last week to having explosives, including mortar components, mortars containing Semtex, improvised grenades, timing switches and other material with intent to endanger life at his farm at Ballyfarrell on June 20th, 1996. He will be sentenced with the other four today.
Mr Justice Barr, presiding, said Cleary, Conaty and McNally were caught in flagrante delicto at the bomb factory and there was "coercive evidence" that terrorist-type bombs and rockets were being made at the time of the Garda raid.
He said the evidence established that the bunker was being used as an arsenal for storing the bombs and rockets which were being made at the shed. Cully was a collaborator in the bomb-making.
Det Supt Basil Walsh said the bomb factory found in the locked shed at the farm was "one of the biggest ever found". He said Cleary was jailed for five years for the importation of arms which were found on the Eksund in French waters in October 1987.
He said McNally was a successful businessman and managing director of his own engineering firm at Walkinstown, Dublin. He had no previous convictions.
Conaty had two convictions for being drunk and disorderly and lived with his parents in Dublin.
He said Cully was born in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and moved to England when he was aged three. He returned to Ireland in the 1970s, when he worked on his uncle's farm. He did not believe Cully was a member of the IRA, and his family had no republican connections.