Dublin man acquitted in IRA membership trial

A 33-year-old Dublin man has been acquitted of membership of the IRA following a week-long trial at the Special Criminal Court.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding at the three-judge, non-jury court, said that the court had to give the benefit of the doubt to the accused, Criostoir Mac Carthaigh, as the State had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he was an IRA member.

Mac Carthaigh, of An Gleann, Baile Phamar (Palmerstown), had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself on the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, in March 2009.

The court heard that a Garda surveillance operation was mounted on the accused on March 28, 2009 after senior detectives received confidential information from an informant.

Gardaí believed the accused was travelling with three alleged IRA members to a fundraiser, and intercepted all four that evening on the N4 at Lucan, after they had been seen travelling in a two-car convoy.

Detectives believed the accused may have been in possession of firearms, but after searching the cars, no weapons were found.

Boiler suits, cable ties, knives and balaclavas were discovered in the vehicles.

During follow-up searches of the accused's home, items which the court heard are regularly used in pipe-bombs, were discovered. Receipts for boiler suits and cable ties were found in his car.

In judgment, Mr Justice Butler said a major factor the court took into consideration was the fact that a senior Garda witness had said he did not know the identity of the informant who supplied the information on the accused.

He said another factor was that the other three men arrested with the accused were not charged with membership.

“The court must have some doubt...and the accused must be given the benefit of that doubt,” said Justice Butler.

Mac Carthaigh was acquitted and the case discharged.