Former Old Bailey bomber Marian McGlinchey (née Price) yesterday went on trial in Belfast on a charge linked to the dissident terrorist attack on Massereene army barracks, in which two soldiers died.
The Crown Court heard Ms McGlinchey (59) had links to “dissident republican activity”. She denied providing property for the purposes of terrorism – namely buying a mobile telephone later used in a number of calls claiming responsibility for the Real IRA gun attack.
Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar were gunned down as they collected a pizza being delivered at the front of the Co Antrim barracks on March 7th, 2009. The pizza delivery man was wounded in the attack.
Two men accused of the murders were subsequently tried and acquitted.
Prosecutor Tessa Kitson told the court that the day after the attack, an unknown male made a number of telephone calls to media outlets and the Samaritans claiming responsibility on behalf of the Real IRA.
Ms Kitson said a woman was caught on CCTV on March 8th, 2009 buying the mobile from the Tesco store in Newtownabbey. It was the crown’s case this woman was Ms McGlinchey.
The court heard the phone was first used to claim responsibility just over an hour after it was bought. The prosecution claimed it had been bought “solely” for this purpose.
Ms McGlinchey, from Stockman’s Avenue in Belfast, was questioned about the purchase that November, when she had “declined to make any comment”, said Ms Kitson.
The case continues.