A Co Louth farmer has been found guilty of membership of the "Real IRA" by the Special Criminal Court.
Mr Liam Campbell, a 39-year-old married father of two from Upper Faughart, Dundalk, Co Louth, was sentenced to five years in prison by the three-judge court.
The final three months of the sentence were suspended to take into account the amount of time Mr Campbell spent in custody before his trial.
Mr Campbell had pleaded not guilty to being a member of an unlawful organisation at the time of his arrest on 3rd October, 2000.
But the court found his silence during interrogation and materials found at his garage to be evidence enough of a link with a subversive organisation such as the "Real IRA".
"During 15 hours of interrogation the suspect remained silent. The court is satisfied that the suspect had knowledge of the implications of his silence and that this is corroborative evidence of his guilt," said Justice Barr.
"The court accepts that Campbell is an intelligent man and that it might have been beneficial for him to deny any IRA membership during this period".
Justice Barr said the discovery of £2,000 sterling in cash, 40 cotton gloves, two boiler suits and 100 feet of piping was individually "innocuous".
When viewed collectively, however, he said all the evidence led the court to convict Mr Campbell of membership an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA.
"The so called Real IRA are on all fours with the original IRA as it existed in 1939 in terms of the philosophy, objectives and structure," said Justice Barr.
"That conduct amounts to a grievous crime against the people of Ireland, north and south. Membership constitutes a serious criminal offence".