The Morris tribunal will investigate allegations that an explosive device planted on a TV mast was made by a garda in the yard of a Co Donegal Garda station.
A new module, to begin in a fortnight, will examine the circumstances surrounding discovery of the device on a mast in Ardara on November 19th, 1996.
Yesterday Peter Charleton SC, for the tribunal, outlined the module to accommodate a witness, retired Supt Denis Cullinane, who cannot give evidence during the next few weeks. The present "silver bullet" module resumed later yesterday.
Mr Charleton said the Ardara module related to discovery of the device. This coincided with the start of the inquiry into the death of cattle-dealer Richie Barron in Raphoe. The chairman would investigate whether there was a connection.
"You'd be aware of the very shocking nature of the possible implications being made of this matter in some quarters in the sense that many of the statements refer to the possibility that this device was in fact made in Ardara Garda station or a Garda station in Donegal and then brought to the mast and planted on the mast for the purpose of arresting a number of people," he said.
These people included Hugh Diver, the late Anthony Diver and Bernard Shovlin, their brother-in-law, who had land adjacent to the mast.
Mr Charleton said that during the inquiry into the matter the Carty Garda internal investigation team spoke to many gardaí who had served in west Donegal.
The team spoke to them about "the allegation that a member of the Garda Síochána had constructed this explosive device and placed it on the mast and it was in fact constructed in the yard of the Garda station," he said.
The 8ft mast was on a Telecom Éireann site. Sometime in the 1990s, Cable Management Ltd needed a licence from the then Department of Communications so it could transmit TV signals in south-western Donegal.
Local people protested as they felt there were enough masts and adequate transmission.
On November 7th, 1996, the situation escalated with an arson attack on the site which caused £50,000 worth of damage.
Yesterday, Mr Cullinane said on November 19th, he received a call that there was a suspicious object tied to the power cable. He went out with other gardaí and saw a packet tied on the cable about 7ft-8ft high. He said he was alarmed and called in the Army bomb disposal unit.
Mr Charleton said it was alleged a garda or gardaí were involved in this. Mr Cullinane said: "I don't believe it was put there by a garda or gardaí. I don't see what the gardaí would gain from it."