Michael McKevitt | |
|---|---|
Mícheál Mac Dhaibhéid | |
| Born | 4 September 1949 County Louth, Ireland |
| Died | 2 January 2021(2021-01-02) (aged 71) |
| Spouse | Bernadette Sands McKevitt |
| Family | Bobby Sands (brother-in-law) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Provisional IRAReal IRANew Republican Forum |
| Years of service | 1970s–1997 (Provisional IRA) 1998–2002 (Real IRA) 2003 (New Republican Forum) |
| Rank |
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Michael McKevitt (Irish:Mícheál Mac Dhaibhéid) (4 September 1949 – 2 January 2021) was anIrish republican and paramilitary leader.[1] He was theProvisional Irish Republican Army'sQuartermaster General. Due to the Provisional IRA's involvement in theNorthern Ireland peace process, he formed theReal IRA in protest. His role in the Real IRA led to him being convicted of directingterrorism as the leader of theparamilitary organisation.[2]
McKevitt was a native ofCounty Louth.[citation needed] He joined theProvisional IRA during the outbreak ofthe Troubles. In February 1975, he wasshot in the knees by theOfficial IRA during a feud between the two organisations.[3] He was a longtime senior member of the Provisional IRA and served as the organisation'sQuartermaster General, with oversight of their arms caches.[citation needed] He quit the organisation in protest at the movement's ceasefires and its participation throughSinn Féin in theNorthern Ireland peace process, which led to theGood Friday Agreement in 1998.[citation needed]
McKevitt launched a dissident offshoot of the Provisional IRA called theReal IRA, using seized Provisional IRA weaponry,[4][5] and is believed to have been the group's firstChief of Staff.[6]
McKevitt was expelled from the Real IRA after a disagreement between a group of Real IRA prisoners inPortlaoise Prison and the outside leadership. The prisoners issued a statement urging the leadership to stand down, claiming a criminal element had taken over.[7] McKevitt and his supporters went on to form a group called the New Republican Forum.[8]
In June 2009, McKevitt was one of four men a civil court found liable for the1998 Omagh bombing, in a civil action suit brought by relatives of the victims.[9] In April 2014,The Telegraph revealed that McKevitt andLiam Campbell were appealing against the ruling in theEuropean Court of Human Rights, citing their inability to cross-examine testimony of FBI sourceDavid Rupert as a violation of their right to a fair trial.[10]
McKevitt was convicted by theRepublic of Ireland's non-jurySpecial Criminal Court on 6 August 2003 of two offences: "membership of an illegal organisation" (the Real IRA) and "directing terrorism" between 29 August 1999 and 23 October 2000.[11] On 7 August 2003 he was sentenced to twenty years in prison.[12] During his trial Mr JusticeRichard Johnson said of McKevitt, "The accused played a leading role in the organisation which he directed and induced others to join."[12] Given all possible reductions and remission, it means that the earliest he could have been released was 2016.[13] The prosecution's case was based largely on the testimony of an AmericanFBI informant,David Rupert.[12] According to information revealed in his trial, among his plans was to attempt the assassination of the thenBritish Prime MinisterTony Blair.[14]
McKevitt appealed against his convictions to theCourt of Criminal Appeal, arguing that Rupert's testimony was unreliable since he had been paid large sums of money for his role as an informant (a total of £750,000 from the FBI andMI5),[12] and because of Rupert's long criminal record. In December 2005, the court rejected these arguments and said that Rupert was a credible witness. Both of McKevitt's convictions were upheld. In July 2006, McKevitt was given leave to appeal to theSupreme Court.[15] The appeal was rejected on 30 July 2008.[16]
In February 2014, The Court of Criminal Appeal heard a petition from McKevitt arguing that he should receive a new appeal based on a Supreme Court decision in 2012 which ruled an unrelated Garda search of a suspect's home illegal. On 20 May 2014, the Court of Criminal Appeal rejected McKevitt's bid to have his new appeal heard by the Supreme Court.[17][18]
In August 2014, McKevitt petitioned for release on the grounds that, per Rule 59 (2) of prison rules,[19] McKevitt has not been given proper consideration by prison authorities for a one third remission of sentence taking into account model inmate behavior, due to his conviction being under theOffences Against the State Act.[20] On 1 September 2014, McKevitt withdrew his appeal and was granted release to prepare a new challenge based onjudicial review.[21] On 9 December 2014 his challenge was struck down by Dublin'sHigh Court.[22][23]
In March 2015, McKevitt was granted temporary release in order to treat a cancerous growth on his kidney. Subsequently, McKevitt underwent surgery to have the affected kidney surgically removed in May of the same year.[24]
OnEaster Sunday 2016, McKevitt was formally released from prison upon the completion of his sentence.[25]
McKevitt was married toBernadette Sands McKevitt, a sister of 1981 Provisional IRAhunger striker andMember of Parliament (MP),Bobby Sands, who died during his hunger strike.[5] Sands McKevitt was a leading member of the32 County Sovereignty Movement and had been described in media reports as the third highest ranking Real IRA officer.[26] She left the 32 County Sovereignty Movement following the imprisonment of her husband.[27]
Michael McKevitt died on 2 January 2021, at the age of 71, ofcancer.[28]
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