Summary

TAPE_NUMBER: EF00/0663 IN_TIME: 03:11:24 - 09:13:35 LENGTH: 01:43 SOURCES: RTE RESTRICTIONS: RTE = No access Ireland FEED: VARIOUS (THE ABOVE TIME-CODE IS TIME-OF-DAY) SCRIPT: English/Nat XFA A United States jury has found three men guilty of buying and smuggling weapons for use by the I-R-A. (Irish Republican Army) However, the court sitting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, cleared them on more serious charges of conspiracy to aid terrorists and to commit murder. Conor Claxton, Martin Mullan and Anthony Smyth were acquitted on charges of shipping weapons to terrorists and conspiracy to maim or murder persons in a foreign country. Prosecutors said the three were opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process and had sent dozens of high-powered weapons hidden inside toys, video recorders and computers through the post. Police intercepted 23 packages containing 122 guns and other weapons allegedly posted by the group in New York, in England and in the Republic of Ireland. It was at this Gun Shop in Florida, in the U-S, that the defendants bought the firearms that led to their arrests. The owner of the shop, according to documents presented in court, sold them 26 handguns and six shotguns, after meeting them at a gun show. From their apartment in Fort Lauderdale the consignment of 122 guns was prepared and sent to addresses in Northern and the Republic of Ireland inside computers, toy fire trucks and other containers. But the package was intercepted by customs officers at an airport in Coventry, in the U-K, who got suspicious and informed authorities on both sides of the Atlantic. That in turn led the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (F-B-I) to investigate the Florida addresses of the senders of the guns. Prosecutors had contended that the guns were meant for the IRA, which has waged a long and bloody battle in Northern Ireland against the British government and its Protestant supporters. Northern Ireland, unlike the independent Irish Republic, is still part of the United Kingdom. During the six week trial the jury was told the operation was ordered by senior members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (I-R-A) and was co-ordinated by Conor Claxton with help by Martin Mullan and Anthony Smyth. Between them the three faced 59 charges. After two days of deliberation over the course of a week the jury found them guilty of most of the charges - but crucially found them not guilty of the two most serious counts, including conspiracy to murder and maim in Northern Ireland. Two jurors, who would not give their names, said the evidence showing that the men smuggled guns was overwhelming, but said the jurors could not all agree that the guns were intended for terrorists. The trio, worried about the life sentence the conspiracy to murder or maim charge could bring, rejoiced after the innocent verdicts on that charge were announced. But Richard Scruggs, the prosecutor, said he thought the jurors may have been influenced by recent developments in Northern Ireland, where the I-R-A has agreed to abide by the 2-year-old peace accord and put aside its weapons. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I'm as pleased as can be. I've said based upon - when you consider that the judge cut out our defences and we had to go solely on the facts of what I had, all I was contesting was counts two and three. We contest count three, we contested count one somewhat - the judge cut out our instructions yesterday on that when the jury came back. I'm very pleased." SUPER CAPTION: Fred Haddad, Lawyer for Conor Claxton SOUNDBITE: (English) "My reaction is - it was a long trail and obviously we have a jury system here in the United States. We respect the jury's verdict and we're satisfied." Question: "How much do you think politics eventually intruded in this case?" Answer: "I think probably you can't totally ignore politics in a case like this." SUPER CAPTION: Richard Scruggs, Prosecutor Just how much jail time these men will serve is still uncertain. Some of the charges carry a recommended minimum sentence of five years, others ten years. That will all be decided in a special hearing to be held on August 18. SHOTLIST: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA - 13 June 2000 and File 13 June 1. Exterior firearms store 3. Interior of store, zooms in on gun display 4. Various shots of close-up of document 5. Exterior of house, zooms in 6. Postal box 7. Aerial of small airport 8. Wide shot of exterior of house 9. Close-up of house's porch/door File 10. Various still photos of accused 11. Security camera still image 12. Various shots of guns being displayed 13. Close-up of cartridges 14. Still photo of pistol (hidden) in toy 13 June 15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Fred Haddad, Lawyer for Conor Claxton 16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Scruggs, Prosecutor 17. Various shots exteriors of court house ?