THE MORRIS TRIBUNAL: The arrival of an alleged Garda informant, Ms Adrienne McGlinchey, caused a "split" among gardaí in Buncrana, Co Donegal, the Morris tribunal was told.
Sgt John O'Keeffe said there was a good working relationship within the detective unit in Buncrana until Ms McGlinchey came on the scene in 1992. She was handled by Det Noel McMahon and Supt Kevin Lennon.
There was a suspicion that Ms McGlinchey and Ms Yvonne Devine were "fooling their handlers".
He had wondered in 1994 if Ms McGlinchey was fooling her handlers but he had not suggested there was collusion with them. The first time such an allegation was made was in 1999.
He said some detectives believed Ms McGlinchey and Ms Devine were "a DIY unit" and not part of the IRA.
As a result, several gardaí maintained surveillance on Ms McGlinchey to discover what she was doing. "We were perturbed that they were being protected."
Mr Brian Murphy, for Det McMahon, put it to the sergeant that if an explosives find near Donegal town had been properly examined, it would have been discovered that the fertiliser involved was not explosive.
Sgt O'Keeffe agreed that if this was done, subsequent finds involving Ms McGlinchey would have been seen differently.
The sergeant said he questioned Ms McGlinchey following a search of her flat at the Crescent, Buncrana, on May 18th, 1993. However, none of the information she gave checked out.
He said Ms McGlinchey and Ms Devine were "attention-seekers".
He did not make a note in his report passing on this information about his doubts, but he did speak to his superiors.
He said Supt J.P. O'Connor informed him that Ms McGlinchey was acting as an informant for Det McMahon.
He told him to "back off" from Ms McGlinchey and that her position was not to be compromised.
Earlier the tribunal heard how Ms McGlinchey was arrested in 1992 with "a component part of some form of device that could be used by terrorists".
Det Sgt Liam Tighe, who was stationed at Lifford in 1992, said he answered a call from the Central Bar, Lifford, on July 26th, 1992.
When he arrived, he encountered Ms McGlinchey, who had a black refuse sack. He searched her and found a tripod.
Ms McGlinchey and Ms Devine were arrested and arrangements were made to interview them the next day. Next morning, he discovered they had been released.
Det Sgt Tighe went to Supt John J. Fitzgerald.
"I said to him I wasn't happy the way things worked out. I can appreciate if there is a Special Branch operation there is a need-to-know basis, but I wasn't pleased I wasn't told before her release."
Questioned by Mr Brian Walsh, for Ms Devine, he said he would describe Ms Devine's behaviour as "very passive".