Court reserves judgement in Monaghan explosives trial

The Special Criminal Court has reserved judgement on legal issues in the trial of a Monaghan man charged with having explosives in his garage.

Martin Connolly (aged 26) of Mullantimore, Tydavnet, has pleaded not guilty to knowingly having in his possession a Novital Magnum electric cereal mill and ammonium nitrate at his home between the 8th and 11th of September 2010 inclusive.

At the opening of the prosecution case, the court heard that gardaí secured a warrant to search the house rented by Connolly and his partner in Mullantimore because they believed “bomb-making components” would be found there.

Counsel for the State, Mr Tom O’Connell SC, said the court would hear evidence that a substance found in an electric mill housed in a shed close to the house was ammonium nitrate powder and that it was ground for the purposes of making an explosive substance.

He said that the accused man was arrested on suspicion of being a member of an unlawful organisation and was interviewed several times on this subject and twice with regard to the unlawful possession of explosives.

Mr O’Connell said the court would hear that immediately after the termination of an interview on the afternoon of September 13, 2010, Connolly gave a short statement in which he admitted to the possession of explosives in his garage and stated that his partner had no knowledge of the presence of this material.

After the prosecution opened its case, the non-jury court heard evidence in a “trial within a trial” as the defence challenged the legality of Connolly’s detention and his questioning on the unlawful possession of explosives.

Mr Justice Butler, sitting with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Cormac Dunne, said the court would return judgement at a later date and listed the matter for mention on November 29.