Two men 'involved in protection racket'
Martin Kelly, 46, and William Clare, 35, threatened to firebomb properties in Dublin and Limerick and injure those inside unless money was paid towards the terror group’s coffers, the High Court in Dublin heard.
Det Supt Peter Maguire, of the Special Detective Unit, told Mr Justice Abbott that the Dublin men were “active members of the Continuity IRA.”
Kelly, from Artane, and Clare, from Coolock, were arrested on Monday, and on Wednesday, they were charged at the Special Criminal Court with membership of an illegal organisation.
They are on remand in Portlaoise prison. Their barrister, Senior Counsel Anthony Sammon, said that officers should have sought a warrant from a District Court judge before arresting Kelly and Clare, because they had been arrested on the same charge two months earlier. They were, therefore, being held illegally, he said. But Mr Justice Abbott said he was satisfied with the evidence of Mr Maguire and both men were being detained in accordance with the law. Under examination from Michael O’Higgins, for the State, Mr Maguire said: “It was known that certain members of a branch of the IRA that styles itself the Continuity IRA were involved in a racket in that it was demanding money with menaces. These funds were being channelled towards the finances of an unlawful organisation and they were to be used for the purposes of terrorist activities in Northern Ireland.” He said the regular extortion targets were Dublin businessmen and added: “If such money was not paid the particular premises were to be fire-bombed, the persons attacked and those inside hurt, including females.”
The men were involved in a similar racket in Limerick, he added.
Both Kelly and Clare were among a group of men arrested in a Limerick hotel in May. They arrived and left court flanked by heavy security, including an army unit. Both were remanded to appear before the Special Criminal Court on Wednesday.
