Six refused bail in Limerick swoop

Six of the eight men arrested after a police swoop on a house in Limerick have been refused bail.

A Garda chief superintendent told Dublin's Special Criminal Court the accused were "key members" of the Continuity IRA.

Two of the accused, including a vice president of Republican Sinn Fein, were granted bail subject to stringent conditions after giving sworn evidence denying membership of the IRA.

At an extended sitting of the court, Chief Superintendent Gerard Kelly said the men, arrested at a house in Limerick, had adopted elaborate anti-surveillance techniques to hold a meeting at a house at Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty in Limerick.

Mr Kelly opposed bail for the eight men and said he believed they would continue to be members of an illegal organisation if granted bail.

Mr Kelly said that when gardai searched the house where the men were arrested they found a piece of paper on a coffee table which had a Telecom Eireann logo on it and contained several items of handwritten information.

These included references to "shotguns, .22 and .38" and also initials with the words "wanted for kneecap job" after them. Another reference was to "shot at a house at Moyross" and "who gave orders".

The eight are: Joseph 'Tiny' Lynch, 60, of Beechgrove Avenue, Ballincurra Weston, Limerick; Patrick O'Shea, 53, of Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick; Desmond (Des) Long, 61, of Shannon Banks, Limerick; Robert McNamara, 57, of St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary; Christopher Dunne, 27, of Donnellan Buildings, Rosbrien, Limerick; Gerard 'Ger' Brommel, 42, of Rostura Crescent, Woodview Park, Limerick; Patrick 'Paddy' Kennelly, 57, of Crusheen, Co Clare; and Matt Conway, 66, of Nicholas Street, Kilkullen, Co Kildare.

In the witness box, Des Long and Joseph Lynch said they had never seen the document before it was shown to them by the gardai in Henry Street garda station following their arrest last Tuesday.

Bail was set at £12,000 each for Long and Lynch. The remaining six men were remanded in custody until January 14.