[3] He was a longtime senior member of the Provisional IRA and served as the organisation's Quartermaster General, with oversight of their arms caches.

[citation needed] He quit the organisation in protest at the movement's ceasefires and its participation through Sinn Féin in the Northern Ireland peace process, which led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

[8] In June 2009, McKevitt was one of four men found by a civil court to be liable for the 1998 Omagh bombing in a case taken by relatives of the victims.

[12] During his trial Mr Justice Richard Johnson said of McKevitt, "The accused played a leading role in the organisation which he directed and induced others to join.

[12] According to information revealed in his trial, among his plans was to attempt the assassination of the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

[20] On 1 September 2014, McKevitt withdrew his appeal and was granted release to prepare a new challenge based on judicial review.

[5] Sands McKevitt was a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and had been described in media reports as the third highest ranking Real IRA officer.