Michael McKevitt

McKevitt was a native of County Louth.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} He joined the Provisional IRA during the outbreak of the Troubles. In February 1975, he was shot in the knees by the Official IRA during a feud between the two organisations.{{cite book| last = Hanley & Millar | first = B & S | title = The Lost Revolution: The story of the Official IRA and the Workers Party| year = 2009| publisher = Penguin Ireland| isbn = 978-1-84488-120-8 |pages = 295}} He was a longtime senior member of the Provisional IRA and served as the organisation's Quartermaster General, with oversight of their arms caches.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} He quit the organisation in protest at the movement's ceasefires and its participation through Sinn Féin in the Northern Ireland peace process, which led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

McKevitt launched a dissident offshoot of the Provisional IRA called the Real IRA, using seized Provisional IRA weaponry,{{cite news |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=Real IRA ready to blitz Britain |url=https://www.theguardian.com/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,403152,00.html |work=The Guardian |date=26 November 2000 |access-date=12 February 2007}}{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,446578,00.html | title=Police fear Real IRA bomb blitz | work=The Guardian | access-date=12 February 2007 | first=Nick | last=Hopkins | date=5 March 2001}} and is believed to have been the group's first Chief of Staff.{{Cite book |last=Horgan |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=39ZBAgAAQBAJ&dq=michael+mckevitt+chief+of+staff&pg=PA102 |title=Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland's Dissident Terrorists |date=2013-03-07 |publisher=OUP USA |isbn=978-0-19-977285-8 |page=102 |language=en}}

McKevitt was expelled from the Real IRA after a disagreement between a group of Real IRA prisoners in Portlaoise Prison and the outside leadership. The prisoners issued a statement urging the leadership to stand down, claiming a criminal element had taken over.[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/organ/ira/rira201002.htm Text of 'real' Irish Republican Army (rIRA) Statement, 20 October 2002] CAIN (University of Ulster) McKevitt and his supporters went on to form a group called the New Republican Forum.[http://www.newrepublicanforum.ie/ New Republican Forum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220140903/http://www.newrepublicanforum.ie/ |date=20 February 2006}}

{{mainarticle|Omagh bombing}}

In June 2009, McKevitt was one of four men found by a civil court to be liable for the 1998 Omagh bombing in a case taken by relatives of the victims.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0608/118170-omagh/|title=Four found liable for Omagh bomb|date=9 June 2009|access-date=30 December 2019|publisher=RTÉ News}} In April 2014, The Telegraph revealed that McKevitt and Liam Campbell were appealing against the ruling in the European Court of Human Rights, citing their inability to cross-examine testimony of FBI source David Rupert as a violation of their right to a fair trial.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/10776185/Omagh-bombing-Real-IRA-terrorists-appeal-to-European-Court.html |title=Omagh bombing: Real IRA terrorists appeal to European Court |work=The Telegraph |date=19 April 2014}}

McKevitt was convicted by the Republic of Ireland's non-jury Special 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.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/mar/31/northernireland.uksecurity | title=Republican dissident charged in Dublin | work=The Guardian | access-date=30 December 2019 | first=Rosie | last=Cowan | date=31 March 2001}} On 7 August 2003 he was sentenced to twenty years in prison.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/aug/07/northernireland | title=McKevitt sentenced to 20 years | work=The Guardian | access-date=30 December 2019|agency=Press Association | date=7 August 2003}} During his trial Mr Justice Richard Johnson said of McKevitt, "The accused played a leading role in the organisation which he directed and induced others to join." Given all possible reductions and remission, it means that the earliest he could have been released was 2016.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,1014573,00.html | title=Real IRA leader gets 20 years |work=The Guardian | access-date=12 February 2007 | first=Rosie | last=Cowan | date=8 August 2003}} The prosecution's case was based largely on the testimony of an American FBI informant, David Rupert. According to information revealed in his trial, among his plans was to attempt the assassination of the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair.{{cite news|url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1117102002 |title=Leader of Real IRA 'gave details for Blair assassination' |work=The Scotsman |access-date=12 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517203539/http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1117102002 |archive-date=17 May 2007|author=Paul Gallagher|publisher=JPI Media|date=9 October 2002}}

McKevitt appealed against his convictions to the Court 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 and MI5), 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 the Supreme Court.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5187430.stm | title=Challenge to Real IRA conviction | publisher=BBC News | access-date=12 February 2007 | date=17 July 2006}} The appeal was rejected on 30 July 2008.{{cite news | url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/real-ira-leader-to-stay-in-jail-as-judges-throw-out-appeal-1443742.html |title=Real IRA leader to stay in jail as judges throw out appeal | work=Independent.ie |access-date=31 July 2008|date=31 July 2008}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/real-ira-man-mckevitt-loses-appeal-over-terrorism-conviction-30289409.html |author=Aodhan O'Faolain|title=Real IRA man McKevitt loses appeal over terrorism conviction |publisher=Independent News & Media|work=Independent.ie|date=20 May 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26241561 |title=Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt in bid to overturn terror conviction |publisher=BBC News |date=18 February 2014}}

In August 2014, McKevitt petitioned for release on the grounds that, per Rule 59 (2) of prison rules,{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/more-applications-for-jail-release-expected-after-remission-decision-1.1891801 |title=More applications for jail release expected after remission decision |publisher=Irish Times |date=9 August 2014|author=Ray Managh}} 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 the Offences Against the State Act.{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/real-ira-appeal-delay-30503685.html |title=Real IRA appeal delay |publisher=Independent News & Media|work=Independent.ie|date=13 August 2014}} On 1 September 2014, McKevitt withdrew his appeal and was granted release to prepare a new challenge based on judicial review.{{Cite news|url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/model-prisoner-michael-mckevitt-in-fresh-bid-for-freedom-30553666.html|title = 'Model prisoner' Michael McKevitt in fresh bid for freedom|date = 2 September 2014|publisher = Independent News & Media|work=Belfast Telegraph|author=Aodhan O Faolain }} On 9 December 2014 his challenge was struck down by Dublin's High Court.{{Cite news|url = http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/michael-mckevitt-takes-yoga-and-drama-classes-in-jail-30553610.html|title = Michael McKevitt takes yoga and drama classes in jail|date = 2 September 2014|publisher = Independent News & Media|work=Independent.ie|author=Aodhan O Faolain}}{{Cite news|url = https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/real-ira-founder-fails-win-early-irish-parole-27466801|title = Real IRA Founder Fails to Win Early Irish Parole|date = 9 December 2014|publisher = ABC News|agency = Associated Press|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141222061513/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/real-ira-founder-fails-win-early-irish-parole-27466801|archive-date = 22 December 2014|url-status = dead}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/jailed-real-ira-chief-should-be-freed-in-wake-of-cancer-surgery-say-tds-1.2270039 |title=Jailed Real IRA chief should be freed in wake of cancer surgery, say TDs |publisher=Irish Times |date=2 July 2015|author=Conor Lally}}

On Easter Sunday 2016, McKevitt was formally released from prison upon the completion of his sentence.{{Cite news|url = http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/real-ira-leader-michael-mckevitt-released-from-prison-1.2589977|title = Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt released from prison|publisher=Irish Times|access-date = 30 March 2016|author=Conor Lally|date=28 March 2016}}

McKevitt was married to Bernadette Sands McKevitt, a sister of 1981 Provisional IRA hunger striker and Member of Parliament (MP), Bobby Sands, who died during his hunger strike. Sands McKevitt was a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and had been described in media reports as the third highest ranking Real IRA officer.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/trial-told-of-plot-by-real-ira-chief-to-kidnap-peers-110286.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/trial-told-of-plot-by-real-ira-chief-to-kidnap-peers-110286.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Trial told of 'plot by Real IRA chief' to kidnap peers| date=25 June 2003|work=The Independent |access-date=11 December 2020}} She left the 32 County Sovereignty Movement following the imprisonment of her husband.{{cite web | url=http://indiamond6.ulib.iupui.edu:81/MS2206062g.html | title= The Framing of Michael McKevitt | publisher= Marcella Sands | access-date=12 February 2007|work=The Blanket}}

Michael McKevitt died on 2 January 2021, at the age of 71, of cancer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/former-real-ira-leader-michael-mckevitt-dies-following-illness-39923969.html|title=Former Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt dies following illness|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=2 January 2021|access-date=5 January 2021}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3129037.stm Omagh families' relief at McKevitt verdict] BBC News, 6 August 2003
• Kevin Connolly [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3127355.stm Body blow to the Real IRA] BBC News, 6 August 2003
• [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/1209/mckevittm.html McKevitt loses appeal over terrorism sentence] RTÉ News, 9 December 2005

{{PIRA}}

{{RIRA/32CSM}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:McKevitt, Michael}}

Category:1949 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Deaths from cancer in the Republic of Ireland

Category:Irish republicans

Category:Irish republicans imprisoned by non-jury courts

Category:Irish republicans imprisoned on terrorism charges

Category:People from County Louth

Category:Provisional Irish Republican Army members

Category:Real Irish Republican Army members