A Co Cork man and woman who stored guns and ammunition for the "Real IRA" were each given a five-year suspended prison sentence by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday.
It sentenced Michelle O'Rourke (23) and Brian McSweeney (22) to five years' imprisonment, suspended for five years on condition they do not associate with subversives.
Mr Justice Johnson said the offences "clearly challenge the security of the State".
However, the court had taken into account that the pair had pleaded guilty, had co-operated with gardaí and had given undertakings not to associate with subversives.
He added that character witnesses, a senior garda for McSweeney and a doctor for O'Rourke, had said both were of good character and were unlikely to reoffend.
O'Rourke, of Rockview Terrace, Doneraile, pleaded guilty to having an AK47 assault rifle, a shotgun, a pistol, 119 shotgun cartridges and 126 rounds of ammunition at her home between July 1st and September 29th, 2002.
McSweeney, of Coolowen, Blarney, admitted having the guns and ammunition at Coolowen between September 28th and 29th, 2002.
O'Rourke had kept the weapons at her home for 2½ months. McSweeney had kept the guns in his car before moving them to another location.