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06/01/2004
Court hears missing man was an informer
A Belfast court has heard that an Armagh man missing since May 2003 was an alleged police informer.
Gareth O'Connor, 24, from Armagh city was implicated at Belfast Crown Court by a barrister representing one of four men arrested by police on a charge of conspiring to murder members of the security forces.
The barrister said that Mr O'Connor had lured Donald Mullan, Brendan O'Connor, Sean Dillon and Kevin Barry Murphy to a field to carry out a burglary.
They were subsequently arrested by police in Coalisland in May 2002 when a primed rocket launcher was seized by police lying in wait.
Mr O'Connor's name emerged during an application on Tuesday by the four men's lawyers to change the nature of their defence.
Commenting on allegations, Sinn Féin representative for Newry & Armagh Conor Murphy said: "This morning in a Belfast court it was alleged that missing Armagh man Gareth O'Connor was a paid PSNI agent who was involved in setting up four other men for arrest.
"In the past the PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde has made public comment on this man's disappearance. He made a number of allegations claiming IRA involvement in this without providing any evidence. Others have subsequently ran with this line despite a statement from the IRA categorically denying any involvement in the matter.
"In light of today's revelations Hugh Orde has a duty to lift the lid on this entire case. I am demanding that he disclose the full facts surrounding this case and does not hide behind a Public Interest Immunity Certificate."
Last September, the Provisional IRA issued a statement denying it had killed Mr O'Connor.
However, both the O'Connor family and Mr Orde believe the republican group were behind the disappearance.
(MB)
Gareth O'Connor, 24, from Armagh city was implicated at Belfast Crown Court by a barrister representing one of four men arrested by police on a charge of conspiring to murder members of the security forces.
The barrister said that Mr O'Connor had lured Donald Mullan, Brendan O'Connor, Sean Dillon and Kevin Barry Murphy to a field to carry out a burglary.
They were subsequently arrested by police in Coalisland in May 2002 when a primed rocket launcher was seized by police lying in wait.
Mr O'Connor's name emerged during an application on Tuesday by the four men's lawyers to change the nature of their defence.
Commenting on allegations, Sinn Féin representative for Newry & Armagh Conor Murphy said: "This morning in a Belfast court it was alleged that missing Armagh man Gareth O'Connor was a paid PSNI agent who was involved in setting up four other men for arrest.
"In the past the PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde has made public comment on this man's disappearance. He made a number of allegations claiming IRA involvement in this without providing any evidence. Others have subsequently ran with this line despite a statement from the IRA categorically denying any involvement in the matter.
"In light of today's revelations Hugh Orde has a duty to lift the lid on this entire case. I am demanding that he disclose the full facts surrounding this case and does not hide behind a Public Interest Immunity Certificate."
Last September, the Provisional IRA issued a statement denying it had killed Mr O'Connor.
However, both the O'Connor family and Mr Orde believe the republican group were behind the disappearance.
(MB)
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