Eight men go on Continuity IRA trial

Eight men went on trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today in the biggest trial yet in the State of suspected members of the dissident republican group, the Continuity IRA.

The court was told that the eight men, including the Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein, were arrested after a garda surveillance operation on suspected dissident republicans in the Limerick area.

The court heard that gardaí raided a house in Limerick where the men had assembled after using elaborate anti-surveillance techniques.

Prosecuting counsel Mr John Edwards SC said that gardaí found a note in the house which referred to firearms and had other references to a person "wanted for knee cap job" and to a "safe house".

Mr Edwards said that the State’s case against the eight men was the belief of two Chief Superintendents, Gerard Kelly and Sean Feeley that they were members of an unlawful organisation on December 17, 2001.

He said this belief was supported by other evidence, including material found during a search of the house in Limerick where the men were arrested.

All eight men pleaded not guilty to a charge that on December 17, 2001, within the State, they were members of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann.

They are Des Long, aged 62, Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein, of Shannon Banks, Limerick, Matt Conway, aged 67, a member of RSF’s Ard Comhairle, of Nicholas St, Kilcullen, Co Kildare, Patrick Kenneally, aged 58, of Crusheen, Co Clare, Patrick O’ Shea, aged 54 of Sir Harry’s Mall, Limerick, Gerard ``Ger’’ Brommell, aged 43, of Rostura Crescent, Woodview Park, Limerick, Robert McNamara, aged 58, of St Michael’s Avenue, Tipperary, Joseph ‘’Tiny’’ Lynch, aged 61, of Beechgrove Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick and Christopher Dunne, aged 28, of Donnellan Buildings, Rosbrien, Limerick.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr Edwards said that the particular branch of the unlawful organisation the court was concerned with was the branch that styles itself the Continuity IRA and it has been held by the court previously that the Continuity IRA is part of the proscribed organisation suppressed in the 1939 suppression order.

He said that the State case against the accused rests on the belief of Chief Superintendent Gerard Kelly that seven of the accused, excluding Conway , were members of an unlawful organisation on December 17, 2001.

Chief Superintendent Sean Feeley would state his belief that Conway was a member of an unlawful organisation on the same date.

Mr Edwards said that the eight men were arrested between 9pm and 9.20pm at a house in Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty, Limerick.

He said the arrests were a sequel to a garda surveillance operation in Limerick. He said the accused had adopted ``elaborate anti surveillance tactics’’ while they were under covert garda surveillance.

Counsel said that the accused Des Long had travelled 34 miles by car through parts of counties Limerick and Clare to carry out a journey that was 7 miles at its shortest.

The accused were observed arriving at a house at Shanabooley Road at different times and after a search warrant was issued a large party of gardaí approached the house. When gardai entered the house they saw three men, the accused Brommell, Dunne and Lynch running out the back door and they were arrested.

Des Long was arrested as he went towards the rear of the house and the rest of the accused were arrested in the sitting room.

Mr Edwards said that after their arrest the eight men were taken to Henry Street garda station and extensive interviews were carried out.

He said that during a search of the house at Shanabooley Road, gardai found a note on a table in the sitting room.

The note referred to firearms, a person ``wanted for a kneecap job’’, a ``safe house’’ and ``who gave order.’’

The trial is continuing and is expected to last six weeks.