Two Dublin men appear in court charged with IRA membership

Paul Casey and Robert O’Leary arrested in connection with car bomb under PSNI car

On June 1st, a bomb was found under the car of a serving police officer at Shandon Park Golf Club in east Belfast.

Two Dublin men appeared before an out-of-term sitting of the non-jury Special Criminal Court on Wednesday charged with IRA membership.

Paul Casey (49) and Robert O'Leary (41) were both arrested in Dublin on Tuesday morning by members of the Special Detective Unit (SDU) as part of a cross-border investigation in connection with the discovery of a car bomb under a police officer's car in Belfast in June.

On June 1st, a bomb was found under the car of a serving police officer at Shandon Park Golf Club in east Belfast. A tournament, which was being held at the golf club, was cancelled and around 70 people were evacuated.

The device was declared to be a “viable improvised explosive device”.

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The bomb was discovered a short distance from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) headquarters and dissident republican group, the New IRA, claimed responsibility for the attack at the time.

Mr Casey, of Carton Court, Ballymun, Dublin 11 and Mr O'Leary with an address at Clancy Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 are both charged with membership of an unlawful organisation on August 20th 2019.

This offence is contrary to section 21 of the Offences against the State Act 1939 as amended by section 48 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.

Both men were remanded in custody until Monday, when bail applications are expected to be made.