Gardai believed IRA firearms and explosives were being stored at ex-SF councillor's home

At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Inspector Padraig Boyce told the trial of Gerard Hutch, charged with the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016, that a search warrant for the home of former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall was obtained on the basis that firearms and explosives were believed to be stored there on behalf of the IRA. The warrant was executed on 9 March 2016, approximately one hour after three AK-47 assault rifles were recovered from the boot of convicted IRA member Shane Rowan's vehicle near Slane, County Meath. The court heard that the search of Dowdall's Donegal property, which lasted two days, recovered no firearms or explosives, though a USB key was located and subsequently analysed. The witness confirmed he was aware that a tracking device had been deployed on Dowdall's Land Cruiser jeep. Dowdall has previously received a suspended sentence for falsely imprisoning and threatening a man in January 2015.