Gardai have told the Dublin City Coroner's Court that they fired shots at a raider when he pointed a gun at one of them.
Two gardai gave evidence that they were in the area on unrelated work and came across the raid when they saw a man crossing the road with something under his jumper.
The gardai gave evidence from behind screens to protect their identities after threats were made following the death of Mr John Morris, a member of the INLA.
Armed soldiers and a number of gardai stood outside the Coroner's Court, and the public were not admitted.
Counsel for the Garda Commissioner, Mr Rory McCabe SC, requested the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, to ask reporters to sit in the public gallery as they would be able to see the gardai behind the screens in the press box. If anything happened to one of the gardai, the reporters would come under suspicion, he said.
The coroner left the matter open, and the reporters remained in the press box.
The inquest concluded yesterday evening when the jury returned a finding, rather than a verdict, that John Morris was fatally injured at Goldenbridge Industrial Estate on June 4th, 1997, and died from his injuries the following day.
They agreed with the evidence that he died from a single bullet wound to the head. He had also been shot once in the lower abdomen.
Before he closed the inquest Dr Farrell said he regretted that the family of John Morris had withdrawn from the proceedings as they would have had a greater insight into the death of their son. He extended his sympathy to the family.
The parents of John Morris and their legal team withdrew from the inquest on Wednesday, saying important documents had not been disclosed to them. The gardai giving evidence were named by letters of the alphabet. Garda A and Garda B said they had been in the area of the Goldenbridge Industrial Estate when they noticed a man crossing the road with his hand up his jumper. He was nearly hit by a car and his actions made them suspicious, the two gardai said.
Having gone into the estate they saw two men with white balaclavas, one carrying a handgun and one carrying a knife. While Garda A was at the other side of the Newspread building, a newspaper and magazine distribution outlet, the two men came out a fire door. Garda B said the gunman turned towards him and pointed the gun at him. "I feared for my life and the life of my colleagues," he said. He fired three shots at John Morris.
Garda E, who was called to the scene by Garda A, said he shot one round at John Morris after seeing him point his gun at Garda B. He said he shouted "Armed gardai, stop".
Garda G, who was also called to the scene, said he also saw John Morris raise the gun and point it at Garda B. He fired one shot at John Morris.