Lawyers for Michael McKevitt, the first man charged with directing a terrorist organisation, are seeking further material from the State before a bail application will be made, the Special Criminal Court heard today.
Michael Mc Kevitt (51) of Beech Park, Blackrock, Dundalk, County Louth is charged that between August 29th, 1999 and March 28th, 2001, within the State, he was a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, and that between August 29th 1999 and October 23rd, 2000, he directed the activities of the same organisation.
McKevitt is the first person to be charged with directing an unlawful organisation, an offence under Section 6 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998.
The law was introduced two weeks after the Omagh bombing of 15th August 1998 which killed 29 people and injured over 200. Under the act, anyone convicted of directing an unlawful organisation faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Mc Kevitt's counsel Mr Hugh Hartnett SC told the court today the defence is serving a notice of motion backed up by an affidavit asking for certain directions from the court in relation to the discovery and production of certain materials.
Mr Hartnett asked for the court to fix a date to hear the discovery motion and he said he anticipated it would not take very long.
The court remanded Mc Kevitt in continuing custody until June 27th when it will hear submissions on the discovery motion.
A previous court hearing was told the main prosecution witness against Mc Kevitt will be FBI agent David Rupert, an American who successfully infiltrated the Real IRA leadership and communicated with the FBI and MI 5 by e mail.
The State has indicated it will be opposing bail for Mc Kevitt.
Mc Kevitt's brother, Vincent, also appeared at the Special Criminal Court today and was remanded on continuing bail until July 25th next.