Four Dublin men arrested after an off-duty Special Branch detective spotted suspicious activity in Bray, Co Wicklow, last week were taking part in an IRA operation, the Special Criminal Court was told yesterday.
Det Supt Peter Maguire said gardaí found balaclavas, a sledgehammer, pick-axe handles, ties, hand-held radios and a yellow fluorescent jacket with the word "Garda" in a van occupied by the four men.
The court refused bail for the four and Mr Justice Richard Johnson, presiding, said the court accepted Det Supt Maguire's evidence that the four men would commit further serious offences if granted bail.
They are Mr Thomas Gilson (22), of Bawnlea Avenue, Jobstown, Tallaght; Mr Patrick Brennan (38), of Lindisfarne Avenue, Clondalkin; Mr Sean O'Donnell (30), of Castle Drive, Sandymount; and Mr John Troy (20), of Donard Avenue, Dublin. A fifth man, Mr Stephen Birney (28), of Conquerhill Road, Clontarf, was refused bail on Wednesday.
All five are each charged with membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, on October 11th. The five men were remanded in custody until December 13th.
Opposing bail, Det Supt Maguire said he believed the four men were active members of an illegal organisation, the IRA, and would commit further offences if granted bail.
"I believe each accused was present at the scene of their arrest in his capacity as a member of an unlawful organisation," he added.
The detective superintendent said that he believed the men were preparing to commit an offence at the time of their arrest and he believed that if granted bail each of them would continue to be active members of an unlawful organisation.
Det Chief Supt Phil Kelly, the officer in charge of the Special Detective Unit, told the court that he believed that if released on bail each of the four men would continue to be members of an unlawful organisation, the IRA.