A man accused of phoning in a bomb threat to the house of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has been found guilty.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on 7 March 2021.
The eight-day trial heard that an anonymous caller phoned the Samaritans claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and said explosives had been planted at the home of Minister McEntee.
He spoke calmly and carefully and said the code word was "Red October".
He repeated the threat before asking the volunteer if she had got the message and then hung up.
The call was traced back to Murray's cell and he was arrested.
Murray told gardaí it was well known that he was aligned with the INLA and said he had a problem with the Director of Public Prosecution's office and Helen McEntee because she represented the Department of Justice.
Murray testified that he had made a call that night but denied making the threatening call.
The jury in the trial returned the guilty verdict after five hours and 10 minutes of deliberation.
Murray made no reaction as the verdict was handed down in court.
He was previously sentenced to 19 years in prison for abducting a mother and her four-year-old son and repeatedly raping the woman for hours.
He was then sentenced to 16 further years for a campaign of harassment and death threats directed at his victim and the prosecuting lawyers in that trial.
During his sentence hearing for those charges Murray threw a bible at the judge who described his actions as "a fundamental attack on our system of justice".
He also has previous convictions for theft and armed robbery.
Judge Patricia Ryan thanked the jurors for their service and adjourned the matter for sentencing next Friday.
She remanded Murray in continuing custody.
Additional reporting by Paul Reynolds
