A man was jailed for three years by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday for helping to make a massive home-made bomb near the Border last year.
Three years of a six-year prison term were suspended after the judge heard the accused renounce violence and references from prominent public figures were produced in court.
Gregory Trainor (38), Culdee Road, Armagh city, pleaded guilty to the possession of an explosive substance - ammonium nitrate and sugar (ANS) - at Thornfield, Inniskeen, Co Louth, with intent to endanger life on June 13th, 2003.
Det Supt Diarmuid O'Sullivan of the Special Detective Unit told the court Trainor was one of two men using a cement mixer to mix explosives when gardaí raided a farmyard at Thornfield. "There was 1,100 lb of explosives, which would have been a huge bomb. The potential for damage was enormous and we believe it was in the final stage of completion."
He said Trainor, who has no previous convictions, was physically involved along with another man in making the explosive mix.
Trainor, in evidence, told his counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC : "I am very ashamed that I got involved in this. It's not me. I express my regret to the court."