Dublin man convicted of IRA membership

A Dublin man arrested after a Special Branch operation against the Real IRA was convicted of membership of an illegal organisation by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

Robert Brennan (33) of Sillogue Road, Ballymun, Dublin was found guilty membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 29 last year.

He was also convicted of the unlawful possession of a stun gun at the Neptune Beach Hotel, Bettystown, Co Meath on the same date. He had denied the charges.

The court heard during the two day trial that Brennan was one of four men arrested after an operation by the Special Detective Unit and members of the Crime and Security Branch directed against the Real IRA.

He was seen by detectives carrying a hold all bag into the Neptune Beach Hotel. When detectives raided a room in the hotel they found a stun gun in the bag. Brennan and three other men were arrested during the garda operation.

Detective Chief Superintendent Basil Walsh, head of the Special Detective Unit, told the court that he believed Brennan was a member of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 29 last year.

Convicting Brennan, Mr Justice Robert Barr, presiding, said the court was satisfied that during an interview with detectives Brennan had said that he was fed up with Oglaigh na hEireann and wanted to leave because it had no future and was ``riddled by informants, touts and thicks.''

The judge said the court also accepted the evidence of Detective Chief Superintendent Walsh and accepted that the stun gun found was a firearm within the meaning of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act of 1990.

Brennan was remanded in custody for sentencing tomorrow.