Daily Mail
Michael McDonough
An IRA suspect arrested in America is said to have admitted being involved in the Brighton bombing.
Kevin McKinley, one of four men accused of trying to buy an anti-aircraft Stinger missile, claimed he was part of a terrorist cell which narrowly failed to kill Mrs Thatcher during the Tory conference in 1984.
Court documents in West Palm Beach, Florida, say he claimed that `his group was responsible for many bombings without being caught and was responsible for an attempt to assassinate Margaret Thatcher at Brighton'. The attack on the Grand Hotel killed five people.
McKinley, 33, of Riviera Beach, Florida, was remanded in custody until Friday with Joseph McColgan, 39, of Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, Sean McCann, 34, and Seamus Moley, 30, both Irish-born Canadian citizens.
They were arrested last week after allegedly agreeing to pay Pounds 33,000 for a Stinger in a deal set up by FBI undercover agents.
During the operation, McKinley was said to have told how one or two terrorists would be arriving in America for training with the weapon to destroy Army helicopters in Ulster.
McColgan, claims the prosecution, said he was interested in buying grenade launchers and explosives to penetrate new British armour. He also asked about detonators, military mortars and .50 calibre rifles and about training men to support a significant assault against a military target.
The prosecution claims that McColgan, who had flown in from Ireland last Friday, was arrested as he tried to drive away from a warehouse after stuffing the Stinger into the back seat of his car.
The other three, who had been living at a local caravan park for about a year, were arrested a short time later. As they walked into court, they waved to friends and smiled broadly.
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