Arms were part of arsenal seized during Troubles

Rocket launchers and other weapons at the centre of an arms conspiracy trial were sourced by gardaí from a Garda arsenal of weapons seized during the Troubles, the trial of two men charged in connection with the haul heard yesterday.

Tom O'Connell SC, prosecuting, said the weapons had been supplied for the operation by Det Insp Kevin Brooks, of the Garda Ballistics Unit, and Det Sgt Eunan Malone, of the emergency response unit.

The guns and ammunition were placed in a van fitted with a camera and the vehicle was then parked in the car park of the Ibis Hotel on the outskirts of Cork city on April 19th, 2007 as part of an undercover Garda operation.

Two serious organised crime agency undercover agents, "John" and "Raj" had been enlisted by gardaí to assist, and Raj travelled to the Rochestown Park Hotel on April 20th where he phoned one of the accused, Glen Geasley, and told him he would meet him in the hotel.

Raj met Mr Geasley who contacted Dessie Dundon and then asked could he take away two of the weapons selected at random to test fire them as they wanted to do this before bringing the cash for the haul, but Raj said that this was not possible, said Mr O'Connell.

Raj showed Mr Geasley a photograph of a rocket propelled grenade launcher and Mr Geasley told him that "they needed all the weapons for a war in Limerick between Wayne's people and his enemies", said Mr O'Connell.

A woman arrived and spoke to Mr Geasley, handing him a bag and Raj checked the bag and found that it contained £45,000 (€60,600). He then rang John at the Ibis Hotel car park, said Mr O'Connell. John accompanied Seán Callinan into the van with the weapons and Mr Callinan was handling the weapons when he was arrested, the trial was told.