A state witness, Russell Warren, told the Special Criminal Court yesterday he continued working for a drugs gang leader after the murder of Veronica Guerin because he was afraid.
Warren admitted his activity in delivering hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Continent for the gang leader, Mr A, "became more intense" in the months after the journalist's murder.
Asked why he continued working for Mr A, who allegedly ordered the murder, Warren replied: "I was afraid not to. If I had left or tried to leave I don't think I'd be sitting here today. You can't say No to him."
Warren has told the court he was the "bagman" for Mr A and provided the stolen motorcycle used in the murder of Ms Guerin. He also said the bike was collected on the day of the murder by Mr Brian Meehan, who is on trial for the Guerin murder.
It was the 19th day of the trial of Mr Meehan (34), of no fixed abode, and formerly of Clifton Court, Dublin, and Stanaway Road, Crumlin, Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Guerin (36), at Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, on June 26th, 1996.
Mr Meehan also denies 16 other charges alleging that he unlawfully imported cannabis resin into the State on various dates between July 1st, 1994, and October 6th, 1996, that he unlawfully possessed cannabis resin for sale or supply and that on or about October 3rd, 1996, at Unit 1B, Greenmount Industrial Estate, Harolds Cross, Dublin, he had cannabis resin for sale or supply.
He has also pleaded not guilty to having a sub-machinegun, silencer barrel, two magazines, a 9mm Agram machine pistol, five Walther semi-automatic pistols, four magazines and 1,057 rounds of assorted ammunition with intent to endanger life at Oldcourt Road, Tallaght, Dublin, between November 10th, 1995, and October 3rd, 1996.
Cross-examined by Mr Meehan's counsel, Mr John McCrudden QC, Warren admitted Mr Meehan told him at a pub in Harold's Cross after the murder that Mr A "had everybody in a mess because he had got Veronica Guerin killed". He also admitted he was told to threaten two other friends of his that anyone who said anything about the stolen motorcycle would be dead.
Warren said he believed Mr Meehan was involved in the murder because he gave him the bike and because Meehan test-drove the bike the night before the murder. He said no one had been paid for the bike, which he identified as a motorcycle gardai had recovered in parts from the Liffey and which had been reassembled.
He said he did not know that anyone was going to be murdered when he followed a red Opel Calibra from Naas towards Dublin. Warren told Mr McCrudden that after he saw what happened he "just felt sick. My legs would not work". Warren said he had never been visited in prison by an official from the Department of Justice and said nobody had negotiated on his behalf.
The trial continues today.