Four-year term for IRA membership

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6450315.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A chef found with almost 100,000 euro in a washing powder box has been jailed for four years for IRA membership.

Don Bullman, 32, of Fernwood Crescent, Leghanamore, Cork, was held by gardai investigating IRA money laundering after the 2004 Northern Bank robbery.

The money was found hidden in a soap box in his hold all bag.

Dublin's Special Criminal Court said it could not take into account any aspect of the robbery investigation as he was not charged with a related offence.

Mr Justice Paul Butler said: "We must observe that much has been said about the alleged background of thiscase.

"Particular reference was made in relation to the Northern Bank andpossession of a large sum of money and an investigation into money laundering.

"All of this is of course of legitimate interest to An Garda Siochana and thegeneral public at large, but we must make it clear the accused is not beingcharged with, or accused of, any offence other than membership of the IRA."

Detective Superintendent Diarmuid O'Sullivan told the court officers fromthe Special Detective Unit went to a bus station in Dublin after receiving a tip-off that IRA funds were going to be exchanged in a soap box.

Bullman was arrested with two other men in a sports utility vehicle (SUV) atthe rear of the station.

However, he denied all knowledge of the washing powder box, whichcontained three separately wrapped bundles of about 30,000 euro (£21,429) each.

He told the court he supported the peaceprocess, never backed a subversive organisation, and had abided by court orders.

Travel arrangements

DS O'Sullivan told the court that investigators discovered Bullman had sentand received text messages in the days leading to the seizure, including onemessage to one of the other men which read: "Don't box it today, all I have is abacksack."

A follow-up search of his home turned up an investment bond for 50,000 euro(£32,750) in Bullman's name and a sweet tin containing several hundred pounds incash.

Gardai also recovered a bundle of documents, wrapped up in a ribbon, with therepublican slogan Tiocfaidh Ar La (Our day will come) written across it.

During the trial, one of Ireland's highest-ranking police officers, AssistantGarda Commissioner Ray McAndrew, said he believed the chef was amember of the IRA.

In his defence, Bullman said he had been a member of Sinn Fein in the past,but was now just a supporter who attended Sinn Fein fundraisers andcommemorations.

He claimed he had been attending a catering exhibition at the RDS and met thetwo Northern men to discuss travel arrangements to an upcoming Celtic soccermatch.

The sentence was back dated five days to March 7, taking into account the timeBullman initially spent in custody following his arrest.