Kathryn Hayes
in Limerick
A 30-year-old man who was offered €10,000 to plant a bomb in Limerick city has been convicted of explosive charges and possession of more than €35,000 worth of cocaine.
Séan Smith, with an address at Loughmore, Mungret, Co Limerick, was found guilty of six separate charges which included possession of an explosive device, possession of cortex detonating cord and possession of a Sterling sub-machine gun for an unlawful purpose, all at Loughmore, Mungret, Co Limerick, on June 3rd, 2003.
Smith, who also has an address in Swinford Gardens, Brixton, London, was also convicted of three charges of possession of cocaine, worth €35,280 on the same date at the same location.
The jury of 10 men and two womantook just over three hours to return a unanimous guilty verdict at Limerick Circuit Court last night.
Throughout the four-day trial Smith had denied all of the charges.
After his arrest Mr Smith told gardai he was offered €10,000 to plant a bomb in Limerick city, which was intended to hurt up to, eight people.
Smith, who is English, said he was told he would be shot by a man he named as 'Skinny' if he told gardaí about the bomb.
He told gardaí that he "did not go around killing innocent people" and that he did not know who the bomb was intended for, only that it would "hurt four to eight people".
At the opening of the trial the court heard that an explosive device, cortex detonating wire, a Sterling submachine gun, 294 rounds of ammunition and €35, 280 worth of cocaine were found at a bungalow in Loughmore Mungret, in Co Limerick, where the accused man was living.
A drugs squad expert also told the jury that a "press", capable of converting cocaine of high purity into rectangular bars or "nine bars" with much lower purity, had also been seized during the raid.
Judge Carroll Moran adjourned sentencing until January 27th.