Two plead guilty to explosives offences

Two men arrested during a Special Branch investigation into the activities of dissident republicans pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court today to explosives and ammunition offences.

Francis Mc Geown (aged 64), of Cedarwood Park, Cox's Demesne, Dundalk and Pascal Burke (aged 42), of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8 admitted the unlawful possession of an explosive substance - 0.776 kilogrammes of black powder consisting of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulphur - at Smithstown, Julianstown, Co Meath on January 21, 2005.