The trial of three men accused of explosives offences was unexpectedly adjourned at the Special Criminal Court yesterday after an application by prosecution counsel.
Mr Patrick McCarthy SC, prosecuting, applied for an adjournment during the cross-examination of a Garda witness to allow him to consult urgently with the Director of Public Prosecutions. He said he needed to take instructions following the court's ruling that coded numbers referring to members of the Garda National Surveillance Unit should be made available to the defence.
Mr McCarthy told the court that the importance of the court's ruling had been explained to the gardai and they had to consult with officers at the highest level.
It was the seventh day of the trial of three men arrested after gardai discovered explosive substances at Howth, Co Dublin, and at Bettystown, Co Meath.
The men, Mr Joseph Dillon (55), of Greenlawns, Skerries, Co Dublin, Mr Eamonn Flanagan (45), from Co Tyrone, with an address at The Square, Skerries, and Mr Seamus McLoughlin (69), of Balkill Park, Howth, deny the explosives possession charges.