Phil Flynn charged with posession of illegal firearms

[BarryW]

RTÉ News has learned that the former head of the Government's decentralisation project, Phil Flynn, has been charged with firearms offences.

Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau served summonses on the former chairman of Bank of Scotland (Ireland), for possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.

Mr Flynn has been under investigation by the CAB since it emerged that he had travelled to Bulgaria with the principal figure in the company at the centre of the garda investigation into money-laundering in the republican movement.

Mr Flynn, a former vice-president of Sinn Féin and a former ICTU president, told RTÉ in February that he went to Bulgaria but did not explain the circumstances of the visit.

FF and the PDs lurch into another crisis, and the Shinners aren't exactly smelling of roses either

[Collinsite]

Bertie comes out of all of this very badly.He must be a poor judge of character or was even contemplating a SF/FF coalition at the time of the original appointment.

[rockofcashel]

Absolutely unbelievable.

The man gets accused of

1. Laundering millions of pounds in Northern Bank notes

2. Going to Bulgaria to try to buy a bank so that he can launder billions of IRA money

3. Attempting to set up a state within a state.

After 7 months of the most rigourous investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau, with no doubt millions of pounds of taxpayers money spent, and thousands of hours of Garda time, they make the astonishing finding that he was in possesion of a "pen gun" and low calibre ammunition. These charges will be held in, wait for it, the Dublin District Court.

Given that the "gun" that was found is most likely of less danger than your average air gun, I have no doubt that the Judge will rule something to the effect of "Mr Flynn, aren't you a bit old for kiddies toys, heres the Probation Act, and stick €50 in the poor box, no you've a few bob, make it €100.

There will be no mention in the court of

1. Laundering money in Cork

2. Burning money in peoples back yards

3. Bank sales in Bulgaria

4. States within States

5. The fact that 7 months after the discovery of "alleged Northern Bank notes" not one pound has been proven by forensic testing, that the money actually came from any illegal source, never mind from the NBR.

6. The fact that our Gardai cannot make a definitive forensic decision on the notes 7 months on, but when £60,000 of Northern Bank notes were found in an RUC sports club, Hugh Orde was able to defiinitively say within 2 hours, they came from the bank raid, and they were planted.

7. Why 7 months of the most rigourous investigation, not one penny of the Northern Bank raid has been discovered. Not one penny out of what, £26,000,000. (Oh yeah, the RA burnt it all)

8. Not one person has been brought in for questioning after the second week of the investigation.


And now you think its a big thing that Phil Flynn has been charged. Your damn right its a big thing. If this is the best the CAB can do after 7 months, there should be some of them sacked.

This is nothing more than a complete fit up of a guy, because they have nothing to find on him, like he said himself. They have ruined the mans career, and over what? A pop gun, that he was probably given on some corporate shindig by some leading member of BOS.

We ladies and gentlemen, are truly living in a banana Republic. This only confirms my every fear.

[UnrepentantFenian]

Absolutely unbelievable.

The man gets accused of

1. Laundering millions of pounds in Northern Bank notes

2. Going to Bulgaria to try to buy a bank so that he can launder billions of IRA money

3. Attempting to set up a state within a state.

After 7 months of the most rigourous investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau, with no doubt millions of pounds of taxpayers money spent, and thousands of hours of Garda time, they make the astonishing finding that he was in possesion of a "pen gun" and low calibre ammunition. These charges will be held in, wait for it, the Dublin District Court.

Given that the "gun" that was found is most likely of less danger than your average air gun, I have no doubt that the Judge will rule something to the effect of "Mr Flynn, aren't you a bit old for kiddies toys, heres the Probation Act, and stick €50 in the poor box, no you've a few bob, make it €100.

There will be no mention in the court of

1. Laundering money in Cork

2. Burning money in peoples back yards

3. Bank sales in Bulgaria

4. States within States

5. The fact that 7 months after the discovery of "alleged Northern Bank notes" not one pound has been proven by forensic testing, that the money actually came from any illegal source, never mind from the NBR.

6. The fact that our Gardai cannot make a definitive forensic decision on the notes 7 months on, but when £60,000 of Northern Bank notes were found in an RUC sports club, Hugh Orde was able to defiinitively say within 2 hours, they came from the bank raid, and they were planted.

7. Why 7 months of the most rigourous investigation, not one penny of the Northern Bank raid has been discovered. Not one penny out of what, £26,000,000. (Oh yeah, the RA burnt it all)

8. Not one person has been brought in for questioning after the second week of the investigation.


And now you think its a big thing that Phil Flynn has been charged. Your damn right its a big thing. If this is the best the CAB can do after 7 months, there should be some of them sacked.

This is nothing more than a complete fit up of a guy, because they have nothing to find on him, like he said himself. They have ruined the mans career, and over what? A pop gun, that he was probably given on some corporate shindig by some leading member of BOS.

We ladies and gentlemen, are truly living in a banana Republic. This only confirms my every fear.

very good.

[badinage]

RTE website states:

Mr Flynn, a former vice-president of Sinn Féin and a former ICTU president, told RTÉ in February that he went to Bulgaria but did not explain the circumstances of the visit.

Anybody happen to know whether that means he told the police why he went there, but refused to say to RTÉ, or whether it means he refused to explain his movements to the police (which is a criminal offence, under Section 52 of the Offences Against the State Act, if he was charged under that act)?

52. —(1) Whenever a person is detained in custody under the provisions in that behalf contained in Part IV of this Act, any member of the Gárda Síochána may demand of such person, at any time while he is so detained, a full account of such person's movements and actions during any specified period and all information in his possession in relation to the commission or intended commission by another person of any offence under any section or sub-section of this Act or any scheduled offence.
[GA]

(2) If any person, of whom any such account or information as is mentioned in the foregoing sub-section of this section is demanded under that sub-section by a member of the Gárda Síochána, fails or refuses to give to such member such account or any such information or gives to such member any account or information which is false or misleading, he shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

[BarryW]

And now you think its a big thing that Phil Flynn has been charged. Your damn right its a big thing. If this is the best the CAB can do after 7 months, there should be some of them sacked

(Ignoring the rest of your illy rant..)

You obviously ignored the bit in the report tht said investigations are ongoing, did you ?

[Gerrry]

RTE website states:

Mr Flynn, a former vice-president of Sinn Féin and a former ICTU president, told RTÉ in February that he went to Bulgaria but did not explain the circumstances of the visit.

Anybody happen to know whether that means he told the police why he went there, but refused to say to RTÉ, or whether it means he refused to explain his movements to the police (which is a criminal offence, under Section 52 of the Offences Against the State Act, if he was charged under that act)?

52. —(1) Whenever a person is detained in custody under the provisions in that behalf contained in Part IV of this Act, any member of the Gárda Síochána may demand of such person, at any time while he is so detained, a full account of such person's movements and actions during any specified period and all information in his possession in relation to the commission or intended commission by another person of any offence under any section or sub-section of this Act or any scheduled offence.
[GA]

(2) If any person, of whom any such account or information as is mentioned in the foregoing sub-section of this section is demanded under that sub-section by a member of the Gárda Síochána, fails or refuses to give to such member such account or any such information or gives to such member any account or information which is false or misleading, he shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

I dont think Section 52 means you have to explain 'why' you went anywhere. It supposedly obliges you to account for 'where' you have been, not 'why'. Also, I dont think it is used that often because people convicted under it in the past have won cases for being prosecuted under that Section, as far as I can remember.

[pluralist]

And what's he been charged with? Possession of a f.ucking TOY. It's not even a real gun, it's a fiddly little pen that has a gas cannister which may or may not be technically illegal.

Just an executive toy, pure and simple.

What a farce.

I am not an SF supporter but this makes me angry.

Welcome to the new police state, wave goodbye to your freedoms.

[Gerrry]

And what's he been charged with? Possession of a f.ucking TOY. It's not even a real gun, it's a fiddly little pen that has a gas cannister which may or may not be technically illegal.

Just an executive toy, pure and simple.

What a farce.

I am not an SF supporter but this makes me angry.

Welcome to the new police state, wave goodbye to your freedoms.

It is a bit of a joke all right. ROC got it spot on

[BarryW]

And what's he been charged with? Possession of a f.ucking TOY. It's not even a real gun, it's a fiddly little pen that has a gas cannister which may or may not be technically illegal

Are you an expert on ballistics and gun specifications??
The fact that you need a licence for it would mean that its more than a cap-gun!

Unfortunately, it seems that muliti-millionaire Phil Flynn couldn't find the time to pay the modest fee for it