Two charged with IRA membership over Northern Bank raid

Two Cork men arrested as part of the garda investigation into the Northern Bank raid in Belfast in which £26.5m (€29.4m) was stolen in December 2004 were charged with IRA membership at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

The Provisional IRA was blamed for the raid - one of the biggest ever, and gardaí and the PSNI launched a major investigation into the crime.

Tom Hanlon (aged 42), of Pembroke Row, Passage West, Co Cork and George Hegarty (aged 62), of Donnybrook Cottages, Douglas, Cork were each charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on February 16 , 2005.

Detective Garda Emmet Daly gave evidence of arresting Hanlon at 5.35 pm yesterday. He said that Hanlon made no reply when cautioned.

The detective garda agreed with defence counsel Mr Michael Vallely BL that Hanlon, a father of four, is well known in Passage West and had served as a Sinn Féin councillor for the area for four years until 2004.

Detective Garda Martin Mc Sweeney gave evidence of arresting Hegarty at 5.40 pm and he said that Hegarty made no reply when cautioned.

He agreed with Mr Vallely that although the alleged offence occurred four years ago Hegarty has been living in the locality ever since. He said that Hegarty was questioned by the gardaí in 2005.

The Detective Garda also agreed that Hegarty, a father of five, is on disability benefit and is the primary carer of his partner and an adult child with learning disabilities.

The court remanded both men in custody until this afternoon when bail applications are expected to be made.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said that in view of the antiquity of the alleged offence the gardaí should check out the proposed bails persons as quickly as possible.

Cork financial adviser Ted Cunningham (aged 60) was jailed for 10 years last month after he was convicted at the Cork Circuit Criminal Court of laundering over £3m (€3.3m) which was part of the Northern Bank raid haul.