A FULL independent investigation into the death of a man in police custody must be undertaken without delay if the public is to have any faith restored in the force.

Six men were cleared of being members of the Continuity IRA and one man was convicted of the charge at the Special Criminal Court today after one of the longest trials in the history of the court.

The Special Criminal Court has reserved judgment in the trial of seven men suspected of membership of the dissident republican organisation, the Continuity IRA.

Defence submissions continued today at the Special Criminal Court trial of seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA in Limerick in 2001.

The case against seven men accused of Continuity IRA membership was a "garda driven prosecution" inspired by a political agenda, a defence counsel told the Special Criminal Court today.

A Tipperary man told the Special Criminal Court today that the front door of a house came down on top of him when gardai raided a house in Limerick where they suspected a meeting of the Continuity IRA was taking place.

A Limerick man told the Special Criminal Court today that he was at a Republican Sinn Fein meeting discussing a forthcoming republican commemoration when gardaí raided a house in the city.

A Co Clare man arrested at an suspected Continuity IRA meeting in Limerick denied at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today that he was ever a member of an illegal organisation.

The defence case in the biggest ever trial of dissident republicans at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin will continue next Tuesday.

The vice president of Republican Sinn Fein (RSF) and the organisation's PRO in Limerick denied at the Special Criminal Court today that they were members of the IRA or any paramilitary organisation.

The Special Criminal Court today refused applications by lawyers for seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA for a direction to acquit them.

The Special Criminal Court has ruled that a large part of the State case against seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA in Limerick cannot be admitted in evidence.

The Special Criminal Court today heard further legal submissions from defence counsel for seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA in Limerick.

Legal submissions continued today at the Special Criminal Court trial of seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA in Limerick.

Defence lawyers for seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA argued at the Special Criminal Court today that the gardai had no power to arrest the men on suspicion of membership of an illegal organisation without a warrant.

The prosecution case against seven men accused of membership of the Continuity IRA is expected to close tomorrow after the court allowed two further State witnesses to give additional evidence.

The prosecution today closed its case in Special Criminal Court on the 34th day of the trial of seven men suspected of membership of the Continuity IRA.

A garda witness in the trial of seven men suspected of membership of the Continuity IRA today denied kicking and punching one of the accused during the course of arrest.

A Limerick man denied that a meeting at house in the city was a Continuity IRA inquiry into the acquiring of guns by criminals in the city, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

One of seven men arrested at a suspected meeting of the Continuity IRA in Limerick, denied that guns were discussed at the meeting, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Gardai in Limerick had information that the Continuity IRA was hiring out guns to criminal elements in the city, a detective garda told the Special Criminal Court today.

One of seven men suspected of membership of the dissident Continuity IRA told gardai that he was a member of Republican Sinn Fein and was not involved in any illegal organisation, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

One of seven men arrested at an alleged Continuity IRA meeting in Limerick told gardaí that the men were all members of Republican Sinn Fein and not members of an illegal organisation, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

A detective sergeant today accepted that sections of garda memos of an interview with an accused on trial for IRA membership was inaccurate.

A Limerick-based GP who is also a medical examiner for Henry Street Garda Station, today denied that he whitewashed records for the gardaí.

A garda sergeant today denied that he "whitewashed" custody records on seven men who were detained after gardaí raided a suspected Continuity IRA meeting at a house in Limerick.

A device capable of detecting garda radio frequencies was discovered during the search of the home of a suspected Continuity IRA member, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Fingerprints belonging to one of seven men on trial for membership of the Continuity IRA were found on a note seized during a suspected meeting of dissident republicans, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

A senior garda today denied that gardai in Limerick "harassed" republicans because of the IRA killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe and the wounding of another garda in Limerick.

A detective garda who took part in a raid on a house in Limerick where a suspected Continuity IRA was taking place, made a number of errors in his witness statement, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

A detective garda who took part in a raid on a house in Limerick where a suspected Continuity IRA was taking place, today denied that gardai "hassled" members of Republican Sinn Fein.

Fingerprint experts made additional marks on a note seized by gardai during a raid on a suspected Continuity IRA meeting in Limerick, a garda witness told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

Gardaí raiding a house in Limerick where a suspected Continuity IRA meeting was taking place found a handwritten note containing references to firearms, "knee cap job" and "a safe house", the Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard today.

A Detective sergeant who took part in a Garda raid on a house in Limerick where a suspected Continuity IRA meeting was taking place has said he saw a number of men move from the front room as gardaí were breaking down the front door.

A Detective Sergeant who led a garda raid on a house in Limerick where a suspected Continuity IRA meeting was taking place told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today that he believed it was "possible and probable" that firearms were in the house when he ordered another garda to break down the front door.

A Detective Sergeant who led a garda raid on a suspected Continuity IRA meeting in Limerick denied at the Special Criminal Court today that shots had been fired during the swoop.

A Garda Superintendent told the Special Criminal Court today that 27 uniformed and plain clothed gardai took part in a swoop on a house in Limerick city where gardaí believed a meeting of the Continuity IRA was taking place.

A Garda Chief Superintendent told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today that people's lives would be at risk if he disclosed the sources of confidential information relating to one of seven men accused of membership of an unlawful organisation, the Continuity IRA.

The trial of seven men accused of membership of an unlawful organisation, the Continuity IRA, was halted at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today to allow for the recall of one of the main prosecution witnesses.

A Special Branch detective told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today that he believed that Des Long, the vice president of Republican Sinn Fein, was carrying out an anti surveillance measure in driving a circuitous route through Limerick.

A detective sergeant today denied that he deliberately gave prejudicial evidence in the trial of seven men accused of membership of an illegal organisation, the Continuity IRA.

The Special Criminal Court will rule tomorrow on an application to halt the trial of seven men accused of membership of an illegal organisation, the Continuity IRA, over what the defence claims is prejudicial evidence.

One of eight men accused of membership of an illegal organisation, the Continuity IRA, was freed by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today after a Garda Chief Superintendent’s evidence.

Eight men went on trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today in the biggest trial yet in the State of suspected members of the dissident republican group, the Continuity IRA.