A 16-YEAR-OLD Dublin youth was given a three-year suspended prison sentence at the Special Criminal Court yesterday for taking part in a "Real IRA" training camp.
The teenager, from the city's northside, was 15 when he was arrested with nine other people when Special Branch detectives raided an underground bunker in a disused wine cellar at Herbertstown, Stamullen, Co Meath in October, 1999.
Sentence was adjourned for 12 months on a 17-year-old youth, also from Dublin's northside, who was also arrested at the camp. He was ordered to sign on three times a week at Coolock Garda station and warned that if he continued to associate with criminals or members of illegal organisations, he would be immediately brought before the court for sentencing.
Det Supt Peter Maguire, of the Special Detective Unit, said gardai found weapons and ammunition in the cellar and he said the bunker was used as a training camp by a group calling itself Oglaigh na hEireann.
The 17-year-old later told gardai he had been approached and told he was going to an Oglaigh na hEireann training camp. He said he did not know it was the "Real IRA".
Supt Maguire said the youth continued to have strong leanings towards extremist republican organisations and had been seen with leading extremist republicans since his arrest.
Counsel for the 16-year-old, Mr Paul McDermott SC, said the youth had received five honours in his Junior Cert since his arrest. Mr Justice Johnson, presiding, said the youth appeared to have settled down and the court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended.