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Ireland: Inquiry finds Gardai planted "IRA" weapons

01 August 2004

An inquiry into corruption among senior police officers has found that 17 officers planted fake IRA explosives and ammunition in order to impress their RUC colleagues in the north of Ireland. The report, by Dublin judge Mr Justice Frederick Morris, found that members of the Gardai Siochana in Donegal had been involved in gross dereliction of duty and dishonest practices. Two members of the force, Superintendent Kevin Lennon and Detective Garda Noel McMahon, orchestrated the planting of ammunition and hoax explosives; the two officers were also found to have lied to the tribunal. The report also exposed the recruitment of an IRA "informer", who was never a member of the organisation. She was used by the police officers to plant "IRA" material in Northern Ireland so that they could tip off the RUC. Michael McDowell, the minister for justice, described the men's activities as "frightening and unprecedented."

Mr Justice Morris "Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry set up pursuant to the Tribunal of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921-1922 into Certain Gardai in the Donegal Division" http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/special/2004/morris/index.pdf