A Grand Jury in the American State of Florida has indicted four people on charges of smuggling weapons to Ireland. Prosecutors say that if they are convicted, the three men and one woman will each face 17 years in prison and fines of $1.5 million. The four suspects - Siobhan Brown, Martin Mullan, Anthony Smyth and Conor Anthony Claxton - were arrested last week following a joint operation between the Gardaí, British police and FBI and were charged with offences under the US Arms Export Control Act. It is alleged that they bought dozens of shotguns, pistols and rifles from Florida gun dealers and mailed them to Ireland packaged as toys, videos, computers and other items.
In a pretrial detention hearing last week, a prosecutor said Claxton, 26, indicated to investigators that he was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Claxton's lawyer denied his client made such a statement.
Last week a County Galway woman was charged at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin in connection with the gun-smuggling plot. Jacqueline McIntyre, a 32-year-old a native of Spiddal with an address at Knock Holiday Homes, Inverin in County Galway, was charged with possession of three Kruger .357 Magnum revolvers, three semi-automatic pistols and 120 rounds of ammunition on Tuesday last. She was remanded in custody until October 12 next to Mountjoy jail, with consent to independent bail of £20,000 and her own bond of £2,000. The court also ordered her to surrender her passport and report twice a week to Spiddal Garda Station if she takes up bail. A 54-year-old American who was being questioned about the smuggling operation following Garda surveillance was released without charge.
