Prosecution gives evidence in 'Real IRA' trial

A Dublin man who was arrested after a garda swoop on a Real IRA meeting at a Co Meath hotel last year pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court today to membership of an illegal organisation.

Declan Carroll, aged 25, of Edenmore Crescent, Raheny, Dublin pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 29 last year.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr George Birmingham SC said that gardai from the Special Detective Unit and the Crime and Security Branch were conducting an operation against the Real IRA in the village of Bettystown last July.

At 1.40pm a man was seen arriving in the village and he was later seen entering the Neptune beach Hotel , carrying a sports hold all bag.

The man went to a room which had been booked under a false name. Two other men were also seen entering the room and a number of detectives then entered the room using a search warrant issued by Detective Superintendent Peter Maguire.

The hold all bag was found in the room and inside it was a stun gun, which is not a lethal firearm but can immobilize a person for up to fifteen minutes.

Mr Birmingham said that while the garda search of the room was going on the accused man, Declan Carroll, came to the room and he was arrested.

He was taken to Kevin Street Garda Station and was interviewed on 13 occasions. Carroll refused to answer material questions about his membership of an illegal organisation.

Mr Birmingham said the prosecution would be relying on the opinion of Detective Chief Superintendent Basil Walsh, the head of the Special Branch, that Carroll was a member of an illegal organisation and would also be relying on Carroll's failure to answer questions about membership of an illegal organisation.

The trial is continuing.