A man from Omagh has been given a two-and-a-half year sentence after being caught with information that was likely to be useful to terrorists. Gabriel Paul Meehan, aged 45, was found with a handwritten note containing the registration mark of a serving soldier along with digital images of an improvised firearm and of Enniskillen Police Station. Meehan had pleaded guilty to the charge of collecting or making a record of information likely to be useful to terrorists for dates between 15 March and 7 May 2021.
The information came to light after security alerts in County Fermanagh led to a search of Meehan’s home, where the materials were found. Subsequently, he was arrested and charged. The judge at his trial spoke of Meehan’s “total absence of remorse.” He was also found to have voiced support for dissident republican violence and said that while not being actively involved, if the need arose, he would be “one of the first on the front line.”
The terrorism investigation unit of the local police has said they remain committed to investigating and disrupting any terrorist activity, hence the sole aim would be to protect communities and keep people safe from harm. They also added that they will continue to tackle anyone who intends to bring weapons and violence to their doorstep. Meehan spent 10 months in custody and will serve two-thirds of his sentence in jail before being considered for release by parole commissioners.
The case came to light on 15 March 2021 when the Impartial Reporter newspaper received a call from someone claiming to represent the North Fermanagh Continuity IRA, stating that shots had been fired at Enniskillen Police Station and a device left at Shore’s Pass. However, the PSNI later released a statement saying nothing untoward had been found and there had been no reports of shots being fired. Meehan was observed by the police near the Territorial Army center in Enniskillen, and subsequently, officers found the vehicle registration number of a soldier who drove out of the center in his possession.
During a later search of Meehan’s home, a piece of paper with the soldier’s vehicle registration was found hidden in an internal door void. The house was searched again on 6 May 2021, and two mobile phones were seized. The images found on the phones revealed his support and sympathy for the use of violence to achieve a united Ireland. Detectives have not revealed what actions were taken to identify and monitor those who made the anonymous reports of the attack or who spoke to Impartial Reporter
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