Lawyers for Mr Michael McKevitt, the alleged leader of the 'Real IRA', want an American legal team to investigate the background of the chief prosecution witness against him, the Special Criminal Court heard today.
Counsel for Mr Mc Kevitt, Mr Hugh Hartnett, said his defence team were seeking information relating to FBI agent Mr David Rupert's alleged criminality, "his extraordinary business background and certain aspects of his unusual private life", before they will be in a position to cross examine him.
Mr Rupert, who worked for the FBI and British intelligence, is the chief prosecution witness in the forthcoming trial of Mr Mc Kevitt - who is the first person charged in the Republic with directing terrorist activity.
Last December the court provisionally fixed June 4th 2002 as the date for the trial which is expected to last at least four weeks.
But Mr Hartnett said today he did not think the defence would be in a position to go ahead with the trial on that date.
Mr Michael Mc Kevitt (51) of Beech Park, Blackrock, Dundalk, Co Louth, is charged that between August 29th, 1999 and March 28th, 2001, within the State, he was a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, and that he directed the activities of the same organisation.
It is the first prosecution for directing terrorism under new legislation brought in after the 1998 Omagh bombing and anyone convicted of the offence faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The court was told at an earlier hearing the main prosecution witness was Mr David Rupert, who worked for the FBI and British intelligence, and that he was observed by gardai meeting Mr Michael Mc Kevitt on a number of occasions.
The court also heard that he successfully infiltrated the 'Real IRA' leadership and attended their Army Council meetings.
The court has also heard that Mr McKevitt allegedly met Mr Rupert over a two year period and asked him to acquire equipment for the dissident republicans.
PA