Dramatic drop in terrorism-related arrests in recent years
The Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 was introduced in response to the Omagh Bombing of August 15 of that year.
Terrorism-related arrests under emergency security laws have dropped dramatically in recent years, official figures show.
The Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 was introduced in response to the Omagh Bombing of August 15 of that year.
The attack by the Real IRA killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
The act changed the rules of evidence in relation to the offence of membership of an unlawful organisation, created new offences and extended the maximum detention period.
Under the acts, prosecutions are brought before the non-jury Special Criminal Court.
A report from the justice minister on the operation of the 1998 act is conducted every year as part of the mandatory annual review of the legislation in the Oireachtas.
The report for the last year shows a huge reduction in arrests under the provisions of the 1998 act.
While the total number of arrests has fluctuated during the last five years, they have fallen by more than 80% over the period, from 182 in the year ending May 2016 to 34 in the year ending May 2021.
They further dropped to just seven arrests in the year ending May 2022.
The charge of membership (Section 2) saw the biggest of decreases. Again, while the number did fluctuate during the years, it fell from 68 arrests in the year ending May 2016, to six arrests in the year ending May 2021, with no arrests in the last year.
Arrests under Section 4, which also relate to membership, dropped from 12 in 2016 to one in 2022.
Offences relating to withholding of information relating to a serious offences decreased from 32 to one in the same period.
Despite the significant falloff in arrests, the report argued the case for retaining the powers and renewing the legislation for another year, saying that dissident groups operate on an all-island basis and that they “still present a real and persistent threat”.
It said they remain active in this State, carrying out “fundraising and planning and preparatory activities” to support attacks in Northern Ireland.
“While the recent lowering of the threat level in Northern Ireland is to be welcomed, the threat level remains ‘substantial’ and the State cannot be complacent in this regard.”
The report also said Ireland was “not immune” from the threat posed by jihadist-type terrorism and extremism.
It said the Garda Commissioner believed the legislation was “one of the most important tools” available to gardaí in their fight against terrorism.
