MI5 foiled plot to murder Johnny Adair

FOUR men have appeared at the High Court in Glasgow charged with attempting to murder two former UFF chiefs Johnny Adair and Sam ‘Skelly’ McCrory.

Anton Duffy, Martin Hughes, Paul Sands and John Gorman are alleged to have planned to kill Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair and Sam McCrory.

The plot was uncovered during a covert MI5 undercover surveillance operation.

Duffy and Gorman are also accused of planning the murder of former Barlinnie Prison governor Derek McGill with a car bomb.

The four men deny all the charges.

They also deny a charge of joining others with the “intention of committing acts of terrorism”.

Prosecutors say Duffy, 38, Hughes, 35, Sands, 31, and Gorman, 57, along with unnamed individuals, plotted to kill Adair and McCrory between August 2010 and October last year.

Locations where the plans were allegedly discussed included high-security HMP Shotts and a flat in Old Castle Road in Glasgow’s Shawlands.

It is claimed “surveillance and reconnaissance” was carried out on Mr Adair and Mr McCrory.

The charge includes accusations there were plans “of where and by what means” each man “was to be murdered”.

Three other men, Craig Convery, Gary Convery and Gordon Brown face charges concerned with the alleged conspiracies. They have also pleaded not guilty.

A further preliminary hearing will take place on November 3 this year.

Belfast Daily revealed last year that Adair was warned about the plot by police after he stepped off a plan in Glasgow.

He had just returned from a holiday in Spain where he was celebrating his 50th birthday with close family and friends.