Three remanded at Special Criminal Court

Three Northern Ireland men arrested in Dublin at the weekend by gardaí investigating the activities of dissident republican terrorist groups were today charged in court with membership of an illegal organisation.

The trio – Brian Quinn, 31, Malachy Maguire, 33 and 40-year-old Desmond McCabe, all from Newry, Co Down – were remanded in custody at the Special Criminal Court.

They will appear there again later this month when bail applications will be considered.

Maguire and McCabe were also accused of possessing two bolt-action rifles and 11 rounds of ammunition.

The three only spoke once in court, each to confirm their names.

The men were arrested when armed gardaí halted a car in the Whitehall area of north Dublin on Saturday afternoon.

Officers found rifles and ammunition in the vehicle.

The detention of the suspects was part of an operation involving the Gardaí and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The men were questioned under the terms of the Offences Against the State Act in two Dublin garda stations ahead of their court appearance.