A senior detective today insisted he saw a meeting between alleged RealIRA leader Mr Michael McKevitt and FBI agent Mr David Rupert in Co Louth.
Detective Garda Sergeant Thomas Healy rejected suggestions from McKevitt'slawyers that the meeting never actually took place.
He told the court: "Somebody has a great imagination and it's not me."
Under cross examination at Special Criminal Court Det Sgt Healy wasquizzed extensively about a surveillance operation he led outside 83 OaklandPark, Dundalk, Co Louth, on February 18th 2000.
He told the court he saw the two men speaking together outside the house andthat Mr Rupert left with another man.
Mr McKevitt's lawyer said it was the defendant's case that he was not there thatnight.
The detective replied that the account he gave to the court was accurate,adding: "I'm a fair and honest man."
Asked why he did not note details such as the clothes Mr McKevitt was wearing,Det Sgt Healy said that kind of information was not relevant to his work.
"If he was going into the house on two crutches I would have noted that," hesaid.
He said that in order to protect current and future Garda intelligenceoperations it was not possible to give certain pieces of information about howhe and his team surveyed the house.
He added: "I'm not trying to be evasive. I'm trying to protect mycolleagues."
Another officer who took part in the operation also gave his account of eventsto the court.
Detective Garda Fergal O'Brien said he watched the meeting from a van parkedopposite the house and crouched behind the front seats so as not to be seen.
Earlier in the trial FBI agent Mr David Rupert denied allegations from thedefence that he had never met Mr McKevitt and that he had fabricated his evidence.
PA