Intelligence sting catches alleged Real IRA's number two in arms deal

26 Jun 2006
The Herald

The alleged second-in-command of the breakaway terrorist group the Real IRA has been remanded in custody after a joint MI5, French intelligence service and Irish police operation to foil the smuggling of a consignment of weapons and explosives. Paul McCaugherty, 39, from Lurgan, Armagh, is also accused of conspiracy to possess firearms, conspiracy to murder members of the security forces in Northern Ireland and supplying cash to buy arms and ammunition. Mr McCaugherty is the fourth alleged member of the group to be charged in the last week in a major security crackdown in the border counties of Armagh and Fermanagh.

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Lurgan man in court on Real IRA charges

26 Jun 2006
Irish Times


A Co Armagh man appeared before magistrates in Lurgan on Saturday on charges that he plotted to kill members of the security forces and tried to procure weapons. Paul McCaugherty (39), Beech Court, Lurgan, appeared at a special sitting of Craigavon Magistrates Court. The court was told by a detective chief inspector that Mr McCaugherty made no reply when the six charges were put to him. He was accused of being second in command of the Real IRA between December 1st, 2005, and June 19th, 2006. He was also charged with conspiring to murder members of the security forces in Northern Ireland between May 24th, 2005, and June 19th, 2006.

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Man on Real IRA charge

26 Jun 2006
The Belfast News Letter

A 39-YEAR-OLD man appeared before magistrates on Saturday on charges that he plotted to kill members of the security forces and tried to procure weapons. Paul McCaugherty, 39, from Beech Court in Lurgan, Co Armagh appeared at a special sitting of Craigavon Magistrates Court. The court was told by a detective chief inspector that McCaugherty made no reply when the six charges were put to him.

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Senior Real IRA suspect in court

25 Jun 2006
The Observer
Henry McDonald

The alleged second-in-command of the Real IRA remains in custody today facing charges that he plotted to kill members of the security forces and to obtain weapons. Paul McCaugherty, 39, from Beech Court in Lurgan, appeared at a special sitting of Craigavon magistrates' court in Co Armagh yesterday. He was accused of being the deputy head of the Real IRA between 1 December 2005 and 19 June 2006.

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Man in dock on Real IRA charges. Court date for terror suspect

25 Jun 2006
Sunday Mirror
Paul Carson

A man believed by police to be second in command of the Real IRA appeared in court yesterday charged with terrorist offences. Paul McCaugherty, 39, appeared before magistrates on charges that he plotted to kill members of the security forces and tried to procure weapons. McCaugherty, from Beech Court in Lurgan, Co Armagh, appeared at a special sitting of Craigavon Magistrates Court. The court was told by a Detective Chief Inspector that McCaugherty made no reply when the six charges were put to him.

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MI5 foil Sam missile plot

25 Jun 2006
Martin Breen
News of the World

Real IRA planned huge terror spree

The Real IRA went shopping for surface-to-air missiles to shoot down British army helicopters. The renegade republican faction also tried to buy anti-tank weapons from MI5 agents they thought were international arms dealers. Even though Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt is serving a 20- year jail term in Portlaoise Prison for directing terrorism, security sources say he was aware of the plot which was busted last week. The Real IRA's deadly plan was thwarted in a massive undercover operation involving the PSNI and MI5.

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Man in court on 'Real IRA' charge

24 June, 2006
BBC News

A County Armagh man has appeared in court accused of being second-in-command of the Real IRA. Paul McCaugherty, 39, from Beech Court, Lurgan, was arrested in connection with what police believe was an international gun-smuggling operation. He is also charged with conspiring to murder members of the security forces in Northern Ireland between 24 May 2005 and 19 June 2006.

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3 in court on 'plot' to buy guns

24 June 2006
Mirror
Jenna Sloan

A husband and wife were among three people charged yesterday over an alleged arms plot. Desmond Kearns, 41, was charged with conspiring to possess AK47s, sniper rifles, pistols, silencers, and heavy machine guns with intent.

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Married couple accused of gun-smuggling plot

24 June 2006
The Irish News

A married couple and a second man appeared in court yesterday after police claimed they had smashed an international gun smuggling plot linked to dissident republicans. In the dock at Belfast Magistrates Court were Desmond Kearns (42), his wife Alison, a 37-year-old mother-of-two from Tannaghmore Green in Lurgan, and Michael Dermot Gregory (37), from Concession Road, Crossmaglen, all Co Armagh.

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Alleged deputy head of Real IRA held in Northern Ireland

24 June 2006
Agence France Presse

The man believed to be second in command of the breakaway Real IRA was charged Saturday in Northern Ireland with attempted murder and arms smuggling.  Paul McCaugherty, 39, from Lurgan, appeared before a court in Craigavon on charges of being between December 1, 2005 and June 19, 2006 -- the date of his arrest -- the deputy leader of the Real IRA, which broke away from the main Irish Republic Army (IRA) because it opposes the peace process.  He is also accused of trying to murder members of the security forces between May 2005 and June 2006. 

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