IRA-linked men in court in England on blackmail charges

Two men linked to the IRA used threats in a bid to get a share of £6m (€6.64m) said to have been been raised using the name of the republican organisation, a court heard today.

Nick Mullen, aged 60, once alleged to have been a “quartermaster” for an IRA active service unit, and Ronald McCartney, aged 55, who tried to kill three policeman in Southampton in the mid-1970s, warned two businessman to pay £150,000 (€116,119) each “or face the consequences”, it was claimed.