Three Dublin men were cleared by the Special Criminal Court yesterday of having explosives and bomb-making equipment at a farm in Co Laois. The court ruled, however, that they had a case to answer regarding a bomb factory found also at the farm.
Mr Bryan McNally (56), of Knocksinna Park, Foxrock, Mr John Conaty (37), of Balbutcher Park, Ballymun, and Mr Gabriel Cleary (54), of Friarstown, Tallaght, were acquitted of having explosives, rockets, bomb-making equipment, a Bren machine-gun and Luger pistol with intent to endanger life at Ballyfarrell, Clonaslee, Co Laois, on June 20th, 1996.
But the court ruled the men had a case to answer on other charges of having explosives and bomb-making equipment found at a bomb factory in a locked shed at the farm.
The court heard gardai found the men in the shed and arrested them.
The court also ruled that a fourth man, the farm-owner's nephew, Mr Michael Cully (47), of Ballyfarrell, Clonaslee, had a case to answer regarding the bomb factory and the bunker.
The court acquitted Mr Cully, Mr Cleary and Mr McNally of charges of having a semi-automatic pistol and seven rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Mr Justice Barr said the defence submissions that there was no evidence that these three men knew that Mr Conaty was armed with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, found in the waistband of his trousers, were "well founded".
The court also found there was insufficient evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the three men arrested in the shed knew of the bunker or its contents.
The court has heard that 17 Special Branch detectives led by Det Supt Basil Walsh raided the farm near Clonaslee on June 20th, 1996.
They broke down the shed door and arrested Mr Cleary, Mr Conaty and Mr McNally after a violent struggle. Two other men, the farm's owner, Thomas Conroy, and his nephew, Mr Cully, were also arrested.
The next day gardai discovered "an extremely well-concealed and sophisticated underground bunker" at the farm where they found " a significant arsenal of weaponry", Mr Paul O'Higgins SC, prosecuting, said.
Conroy (76) has pleaded guilty to possessing explosive substances, including mortar components, mortars containing Semtex explosives, improvised grenades, timing switches and other material with intent to endanger life at his farm at Ballyfarrell on June 20th, 1996.
He has been remanded on bail for sentencing at the end of the trial of the four other men who denied charges connected with the find.