Northern Ireland

Home bar of double agent thought to have been bugged

The home of Dennis McFadden which the New IRA now believe was bugged.
The home of Dennis McFadden which the New IRA now believe was bugged. The home of Dennis McFadden which the New IRA now believe was bugged.

Members of hard line political organisation Saoradh based in north Belfast fear that a bar in the home of alleged double agent Dennis McFadden was bugged, with recordings now in the hands of MI5.

Last week Assistant Chief Constable Barbara Gray said that Operation Arbacia against the New IRA was far from over.

“It is a longer term investigation that will look into every aspect of the activities of the New IRA in its entirety", said ACC Gray.

While ten people are currently charged with offences linked to two meetings in Co Tyrone earlier this year, there are fears among members of the New IRA that other recordings could lead to further arrests and charges.

The two women and eight men, among them Palestinian doctor Issam Hijjawi Bassalat (62), are charged with a range of terror related offences.

Also charged are Co Tyrone man David Jordan (49) from Pomeroy who is married to Sharon Jordan (45), who has been remanded into custody along with Kevin Barry Murphy (49) from Coalisland, Amanda McCabe (49), from Lurgan - also known as Mandy Duffy - Damien McLaughlin (44) from Ardboe, Joseph Patrick Barr (32) from Derry, and 48-year old Gary Hayden also from Derry.

Shea Reynolds (26) from Lurgan and Patrick McDaid (50) from Derry were remanded at a previous hearing on similar charges.

Suspected agent Dennis McFadden, who comes from a well respected family from the Gorbals area of Glasgow, is said to have used his contacts with Celtic fans travelling to for Old Firm games to cement his relationship with dissident republicans.

Named in court as an MI5 agent, McFadden is thought to have been working undercover in Northern Ireland for almost 10 years.

Sources have revealed his links with Belfast date back decades when relatives hosted events for bus loads of Celtic fans arriving in Glasgow from Northern Ireland.

He appeared back in Glasgow for a relatives 50th birthday party a few years ago and again claimed his work as a safety inspector kept him abroad for long periods of time.

What remains of the New IRA in Derry are now blaming north Belfast members for being "easily bought" with tickets to football matches and nights drinking in the bar McFadden built at the side of his Glengormley home.

McFadden fled his home in the outskirts of north Belfast a week before details of his activities emerged, and is now thought to be in the protection of the intelligence services along with his wife and young child.

It is understood two dark coloured vehicles, including a Transit van and a people carrier, pulled up at the house the day after the arrest of nine people.

Neighbours said there was one person in each vehicle but that they didn't see anything being removed from the property.

The New IRA now believe that these vehicles were MI5 operatives removing listening devices and cameras from the house where McFadden often entertained members of the New IRA and Saoradh, filling them with alcohol while recording their conversations.

This is already causing deep divisions within what is left of the New IRA, with Derry members claiming that McFadden was only able to infiltrate the organisation as deeply as he did with the help of members from Belfast.

There have also been questions asked as to why to date none none of those from Belfast, closest to McFadden, have been arrested, with the dissident republicans current remanded facing charges all from Co Armagh, Tyrone and Derry