Easy to understand Sean O’Driscoll shows a brilliance for research, though the idea that somebody like the main character, David Rupert, is of a heroic nature is beyond me. Rupert sold himself to both the FBI and MI5 in infiltrating the so-called ‘Real IRA’ and their activities, including the Omagh bombing of August 1998, and the successful prosecution of the organisation’s leader, Michael McKevitt.
Firstly, the Omagh bombing was an atrocity and not an act of war as some have claimed. It was not ‘collateral damage’ which can, but shouldn’t, occur when ordnance is dropped from 20,000 feet as this bomb was actually driven to its target area and hit its intended targets, civilians. Not to labour too much on the atrocity that was Omagh but merely to point out the organisation responsible for it was allegedly the ‘Real IRA’. This does not dictate David Rupert to be a decent fella because he was not, his activities as a trucker in the USA will tell the reader that, and he, to me, was the kind who would sell his own granny if the price was right.
David Rupert was a trucker from the US State of New York and in the course of his time this occupation brought him to the need of conducting some less than savoury deals. On his travels he met up with a girl called Linda Vaughn at an Irish American pub, The Harp and Thistle, who had loose connections with the Irish Republican group, the Continuity IRA and its political wing, Republican Sinn Fein. Linda took Rupert to Ireland and introduced him to several people connected to this organisation who befriended him and took him, foolishly in my view, into their confidence. It was not, however, this wing of the IRA which David Rupert was to infiltrate.
David Rupert was a trucker from the US State of New York and in the course of his time this occupation brought him to the need of conducting some less than savoury deals. On his travels he met up with a girl called Linda Vaughn at an Irish American pub, The Harp and Thistle, who had loose connections with the Irish Republican group, the Continuity IRA and its political wing, Republican Sinn Fein. Linda took Rupert to Ireland and introduced him to several people connected to this organisation who befriended him and took him, foolishly in my view, into their confidence. It was not, however, this wing of the IRA which David Rupert was to infiltrate.
On discovering his connections in Ireland the FBI moved in to catch their recruit. Promising him money which would clear his debts to keep his ear to the ground and report back to them, they were interested in the far more aggressive ‘Real IRA’ as were their British counterparts, MI5. Rupert agreed to spy for both organisations who were, in reality, acting as one against Michael McKevitt's organisation. It is amazing how a man of McKevitt’s supposed pedigree would allow a man he knew little about close to the ‘Army Council’ of the ‘Real IRA’! It turned out to be a very, very foolish and costly move from their point of view. The damage Rupert caused and evidence he gave at McKevitt’s trial resulted in the end of this organisation.
It came to David Rupert's attention that occasional joint operations were being carried out by the Continuity IRA and the ‘Real IRA’ with the former being very much the junior partner it appeared. This information Rupert passed on to his handlers whose real interest was the ‘Real IRA’ with a kind of watching brief on the Continuity IRA. However, this did not mean Rupert could totally ignore the Continuity IRA, just more importance was to be given to the organisation led by Michael McKevitt.
It came to David Rupert's attention that occasional joint operations were being carried out by the Continuity IRA and the ‘Real IRA’ with the former being very much the junior partner it appeared. This information Rupert passed on to his handlers whose real interest was the ‘Real IRA’ with a kind of watching brief on the Continuity IRA. However, this did not mean Rupert could totally ignore the Continuity IRA, just more importance was to be given to the organisation led by Michael McKevitt.
The perpetuators of Omagh were who the British and US were after and Rupert was to deliver. Sean O’Driscoll covers the trial of Michael McKevitt brilliantly and points out the number of days McKevitt’s defence lawyer, Hugh Hartnett, spent on trying to prove that Rupert and McKevitt never met. Hartnett spent eleven days trying to prove the two men never met basing his evidence on no photographs of them meeting being available as proof of such an encounter. Rupert held out and much valuable time was lost from McKevitt’s point of view by his team pursuing this avenue.
Perhaps Hugh Hartmett would have been better hammering this point for a day then concentrating on the fact Rupert would perhaps do and say anything for money be it from the FBI, MI5, or both as was the case. This may have held more sway with the Judges in the Special Criminal Court as no jury was present that being the norm in this court. The result was Michael McKevitt was found guilty of the charge ‘directing terrorism’ based largely on the evidence of FBI/MI5 spy, David Rupert, the man McKevitt himself had allowed so close to the leadership of his organisation. In 2003 Michael Mckeitt was jailed for twenty years at the Special Criminal Court, Dublin, as the Irish Special Branch had made those interested agencies, along with the FBI and MI5, a tripartite operation.
Criticism of the book would be no index being available, though arguably not necessary, but it does make finding points much easier and the contents were not titled. The research into this work is second to none and the reader should find it an easy read and very informative giving much information not available in the papers at the time of the case.
But who was David Rupert? An unknown trucker who was seeing an Irish Republican sympathiser, Linda Vaughn, whose connections to the Continuity IRA were moderate to say the least. Suddenly this unknown fly by night with a handshake and a howdy becomes so close to the leadership of the ‘Real IRA’ it begs comprehension. A worthy read for anybody interested in the subject or who might have heard the name David Rupert in the past.
And what happened to Rupert and his wife, Maureen? He was handsomely rewarded to clear all his bills with much left over for shaking hands with the Devil. He could only have done this because those other disciples of the Devil were so incompetent in the first place in allowing an unknown so much access about so much when this man was a virtual unknown from the USA. To drink soup with the Devil use a very, very long spoon - this is something Michael McKevitt failed to remember much to him and his organisations cost.
Sean O’Driscoll, 2019, The Accidental Spy. Mirror Books. ISBN Hardback 978-1-912624-28-7 Trade paperback 978-1-912624-18-8
Sean O’Driscoll, 2019, The Accidental Spy. Mirror Books. ISBN Hardback 978-1-912624-28-7 Trade paperback 978-1-912624-18-8
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
It's a book I never got around to reading Kevin but intend to if for no other reason than people ranting and raving online that it is a book no republican should read. That tends to make it a must read. A good reason to read a book is someone telling you not to read it.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, Anthony, it raises the curiosity. Perhaps some do not want the total lack of security in certain areas of republicanism to be known? The laxity beggars belief, if I hadn't read the book and remember the case and outcome due to laxity, I'd never believe it. A fella get of a plane from US, no form, yet because his then girlfriend had slight connections, Rupert has access to computers, he programmed the machines for his handlers and not even a check on the man! Beyond the Bermuda Triangle!!!!
DeleteGood to see you writing again, Caoimhin.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barry, I was in hospital.
DeleteIt's good to have him back on the Quill. Spent a bit of time with him each week during his absence and he missed writing for TPQ.
DeleteI let you say that Caoimhin rather than me. Seven weeks in hospital was quite a stretch. But you are back with us now.
DeleteI could never see myself ranting at people for reading a book. It is too comparable to religious zealots fulminating at people reading some book they don't approve of. Every single person should be free to read what they want, free from interference on the part of the book police.
Hope you have made a full recovery, Caoimhin. Seven weeks is a long stretch.
DeleteGood to see you back Caoimhin.
ReplyDeleteExactly one week earlier I was parked very close to were the bomb was placed in Omagh. I was working overtime and was almost postponing the Saturday to the following week but for some reason decided to do it a week earlier.
My blood ran cold a week later when it went off and I decided to emigrate not long after.