Four remanded further after dissident swoop

Four men arrested after Special Branch detectives swooped on dissident republicans at a Co Meath hotel were further remanded in custody for a fortnight at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

The men were arrested when detectives raided a room at the Neptune Beach Hotel in the village of Bettystown on July 29.

They are Liam Campbell, 32, of Upper Faughart, Dundalk, Co Louth; Declan Carroll (24) of Edenmore Crescent, Raheny, Dublin; Sean Mulligan, 50, of Carnalughoge, Louth village, Co Louth; and Robert Brennan, 32, of Sillogue Road, Ballymun, Dublin.

All four are each charged with membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh Na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 29 last.

The court heard evidence that the four men were arrested by Special Branch detectives who were part of a team investigating the activities of suspected members of an illegal organisation.

Today, the court was told that the men were not yet ready to apply for bail.

Mr Justice Richard Johnson, presiding, remanded the four men in custody until August 22.

He asked the men's lawyers to notify the court if they were not then ready to proceed with bail applications.