Sean Hughes (Irish republican)

Seán Gerard Hughes is a farmer from Dromintee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, who has been named as a former member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) Army Council.[1]

Describing him as a "hardliner" in the Republican movement,[1][2] The Sunday Times reported that Hughes had served on the IRA's general headquarters staff (GHQ) as operations officer, but left in 2002 when appointed to the council.[1] Speaking under Parliamentary privilege, Member of Parliament for Belfast East, Peter Robinson, announced the alleged appointment in the British House of Commons.[3] In 2005 The Sunday Times reported Hughes had resigned his position "after losing interest in the peacetime IRA." [2]

In 2001 Hughes was charged on counts of false accounting and obtaining by deception.[4] He filed an application under human rights legislation, claiming he could not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland after his picture, identified as an IRA member, was included in a book by Toby Harnden.[4] The application was rejected, but the case was moved to Belfast Crown Court where Hughes was convicted of benefit fraud.[4][5]

Hughes and several associates subsequently had their assets frozen by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.[6]

References
  1. Clarke, Liam. Hardliners go in big IRA shuffle, The Sunday Times, 1 May 2005
  2. Clarke, Liam. De Chastelain extends stay to await IRA move, The Sunday Times, 24 July 2005
  3. Members in the Commons Hansard Debates for Monday 2 December 2002, Volume No. 395, Part No. 312, Column 664
  4. Judge Phillpot, QC. Sean Gerald Hughes Ruling - abuse of process and art, Northern Ireland Court Service Neutral Citation No. [2001] NICC 10, 14 February 2001
  5. Cassidy, John. Border 'Surgeon' faces probe into sheep fraud, Sunday Mirror, 22 July 2001


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