IRA sources told a senior Donegal detective that alleged Garda informer Ms Adrienne McGlinchey was never a member of the IRA, the tribunal heard.
Retired Det Sgt Jim Leheny told the tribunal that he had spoken to informants in the IRA about Ms McGlinchey when she came to his attention in the early 1990s. "They assured me Ms McGlinchey and Ms \ Devine were not members of the IRA or SF," he said.
Det Sgt Leheny retired in 2001 after 36 years service with An Garda Síochána. All his service was along the border, he said, and he "knew all the subversives".
Ms McGlinchey and Ms Devine were first brought to his attention when he was transferred to Letterkenny as a detective sergeant in 1989, he said.
In the current module, the tribunal is examining allegations by Ms McGlinchey that, together with suspended gardaí Det Noel McMahon and Supt Kevin Lennon, she mixed explosives that were later used in bogus Garda finds of terrorist arms. Both men have denied those claims, and Ms McGlinchey denies she was an informer.
Det Sgt Leheny dismissed as "a tissue of lies" evidence given by a Donegal garda yesterday morning that he was given two holdall bags of suspected explosives found near the Oatfield sweet factory on June 4th, 1994, by Garda PJ Thornton.
"His allegation is totally untrue, unfounded and is a tissue of lies," Det Sgt Leheny said. The detective said the first he knew of the explosives was when another detective asked him if he knew anything about the find several days later.
The tribunal wrote to all gardaí witnesses earlier this year asking them to make "full disclosure of any materials".
Garda Thornton was asked by Mr Pat Marrinan, SC for the Garda commissioner, why he had not turned his 1994 diary over to Supt Terry McGinn.
Garda Thornton is being questioned concerning the find of two holdall bags of suspected explosive materials near the Oatfield factory in Letterkenny. Garda Thornton and Garda Martin Leonard have told the tribunal that the find was made around 7 a.m. The holdall bags of ground fertiliser have since disappeared from Letterkenny Garda station.
The find was made between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., Garda Thornton said. In his diary for these times is written "Obs" (observation). Beside the time period 10 p.m. to midnight is recorded "Town Patrol. Explosives find. Oatfield".
Mr Marrinan said that Garda Thornton, in relation to the find, had failed to preserve the scene, failed to ensure a technical examination of the find, failed to log the find in the Occurrence Book, failed to notify his sergeant of the find, and failed to notify Det Garda Jennings, who was the scene of crimes officer on duty that day, Mr Marrinan said.
"Some neglect on your part way back in 1994 is far less serious a matter than misleading this tribunal in relation to the events that took place," Mr Marrinan said.
A telex to Garda HQ (Crime & Security) said two holdall bags of suspect explosives were found following a report from a member of the public at 11.20 p.m. on June 4th, 1994.
Garda Thornton said he handed over the bags to Det Sgt Leheny. Station records show Det Sgt Leheny was on duty from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. that day. He told the Tribunal he was not on duty again until the middle of the following week as he had to attend a trial in Dublin.
In a statement to the Carty team in 2000, the garda said the find had been handed over to "members of detective branch". On February 5th, 2003, Garda Thornton told tribunal investigator Michael Finn he had handed over the materials to Det Sgt Leheny.