CIRA accused denies attending arms meeting

A Limerick man denied that a meeting at house in the city was a Continuity IRA inquiry into the acquiring of guns by criminals in the city, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

Superintendent Diarmuid O'Sullivan said that he asked Joseph "Tiny" Lynch if a meeting at a house in Shanabooley Road was an inquiry by the Continuity IRA into the whereabouts of its weapons and Lynch replied: "Definitely not. It was a meeting of Republican Sinn Fein."

Superintendent O'Sullivan said that he then asked Lynch if the meeting was part of an inquiry by the Continuity IRA into the acquiring of guns by criminals in Limerick and Lynch replied: "I am not in the IRA and that discussion never took place."

Superintendent O'Sullivan, who was then a detective inspector with the Special Detective Unit, said that he questioned Lynch at Henry St Garda Station on December 18, 2001.

Lynch told him that he was attending a Republican Sinn Fein meeting when gardai entered the house at Shanabooley Road.

Superintendent O'Sullivan said that he handed Lynch a copy of a note found in the house which contained details of firearms and ammunition and Lynch told him that they were not discussing anything like that.

Cross examined by Lynch's counsel Mr Brendan Nix, SC, Superintendent O'Sullivan said that Lynch had made a complaint to the gardai that he (O'Sullivan) had threatened him and Supt O'Sullivan added: "It's not true."

Superintendent O'Sullivan said that he made no threats against Lynch and would not have allowed anyone to threaten him while he was in custody.

The court has heard that seven men were arrested when a large party of gardai raided a house in the Shanabooley Road area of Limerick in December 2001.

It was the 31st day of the trial of the seven men who have 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, 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 Mc Namara (aged 59), 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.

It is the biggest trial of dissident republicans ever held at the Special Criminal Court. The trial continues tomorrow.