Garda, IRA spread drugs rumours, exboxer claims

Mr Tommy Mullen, also known as "The Boxer", has claimed in a London court
that murdered crime reporter, Veronica Guerin, was vindictive and gardai
fed lies to Independent TD Mr Tony Gregory.

Mr Mullen (26), facing drugs charges in Snaresbrook Crown Court, is one of
the last people Ms Guerin is alleged to have interviewed. The former Irish
international light middle weight champion blamed a garda for spreading
lies to the press and the IRA that he was involved in drugs.

He said that a detective inspector warned him he was a "marked man" with
the police. Mr Mullen, of Clonliffe Road, Dublin, claims he is on an IRA
hit list because of suspected drug dealing.

He was giving evidence during his trial where he stands accused of
conspiracy to export heroin from Britain to Ireland. His codefendant, Mr
Turhan Mustafa (48) has admitted the same offence.

Mr Mullen said he met Mr Mustafa in London in 1994 and made a deal to bring
£10,000 regularly into England.

In June last year, Mr Mullen fled to Spain after his name appeared among 40
others on an IRA hit list. On his return to Ireland in July last year, the
Provisional IRA contacted him and demanded £1 million to spare his life.

Mr Mullen said: "Police were going straight to the journalists and all this
was going into the newspapers. I was given immense publicity."

Mr Graham Blower, prosecuting, asked: "Are you saying you have been set up
by the Irish police, that they have leaked false information about you to
the IRA, and you have been the poor victim because somebody didn't like you
giving evidence in court?"

Mr Mullen said: "That's right."

He denied giving an interview to Ms Guerin. "I did not give an interview to
Veronica Guerin. That person is a very vindictive person. She would write
what she thought and also what the police officers gave her," he said. He
also claimed that Mr Gregory TD (Member of the Irish Parliament), had been
fed the same lies by gardai.

The hearing continues today.