IRA trial adjourned as new evidence emerges

The trial of three men from the North, charged with membership of the IRA, has been adjourned until tomorrow.

Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh SC, for the State, told the Special Criminal Court that a garda witness had unexpectedly furnished the prosecution with previously unseen handwritten notes relating to his forthcoming evidence.

Ni Raifeartaigh asked the court to allow time for the disclosure of these notes and for the defence to consider their contents.

Desmond Donnelly (aged 58) of Drumall, Lisnarick, Co Fermanagh, Gerard McGarrigle (aged 46) of Mount Carmel Heights, Strabane, Co Tyrone and Jim Murphy (aged 61) of Floraville, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh have pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA.

The court had heard how that the three men were arrested at a garda checkpoint outside Letterkenny on February 22.

The trial will continue tomorrow in front of presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler.