Gardaí arrest three in dissident republican probe

THREE Northern Ireland men arrested during a garda investigation into the activities of dissident republicans were charged with membership of an illegal organisation at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday.

The three men from Newry in Co Down were arrested by Special Branch detectives in Whitehall on Saturday. Malachy Maguire, aged 33, of John Martin Gardens, Newry, Desmond McCabe, aged 40, of Merchant Court, Newry, and Brian Quinn, aged 31, of Parkhead, Newry, were charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army , otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on Saturday.

Maguire and McCabe were also each charged with the unlawful possession of two bolt action .22 rifles and 11 rounds of ammunition at Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin, on September 13.