CONCERNS have been raised after it emerged a roadside inn may have been under British intelligence surveillance.
Kelly’s Inn restaurant and hotel, which is on the main Derry to Dublin road at Garvaghey, is one of the best known stop-offs in the North.
The Irish News has reported that it has obtained pictures of three sophisticated cameras which were dug into the hillside overlooking the popular venue.
Sources told the newspaper that the high-powered cameras, a transmitter and a battery pack were discovered on a remote hillside earlier this year.
It is believed dissident republicans may have been the target of the surveillance operation.
There is no suggestion that the venue was aware of any meetings involving such groups on its premises.
A spokesman for Kelly’s said: “Nothing unusual was observed around the premises.
“There was definitely no meetings held in Kelly’s Inn and we are not aware of any meetings being held locally.”
It is not known how long the cameras were in place but the date “August 2020” was written on the power pack.
The paper says handwritten markings are also visible on some of the other equipment.
The cameras, battery pack and transmitter trained on rear of roadside inn
British intelligence units have in the past been linked to similar operations.
Last year, it emerged MI5 was behind a sophisticated video and bugging operation against the leadership of the New IRA.
Two separate meetings near Creggan and Gortin were bugged by British spooks at the request of the PSNI which resulted in the arrest and charging of 10 people, including two women.
Court hearings were told that David Jordan and Kevin Barry Murphy addressed the meetings as the chairman of the Army Executive and chief of staff of the IRA Army Council respectively.
Both Creggan and Gortin around 30 minutes drive away from Kelly’s Inn.
The venue is well known for hosting high profile events linked to the GAA.
A large function room is often used for weddings and dinner dances linked to GAA clubs.
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