A US citizen held for questioning by gardai about a transatlantic gun-running operation was released yesterday without charge.
The 54-year-old man was detained in Galway last Thursday after being kept under surveillance by gardai following his arrival at Shannon airport, Co Clare, on a flight from the US earlier that day.
The man, who had an address in California, was arrested in Clifden and held in Mill Street Garda station, Galway, under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows for detention of a suspect for up to 72 hours.
A Co Galway woman was charged at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin last Friday night in connection with the Garda investigation into an alleged plot to smuggle guns into Ireland by post from the US. Ms Jacqueline McIntyre (32), whose address was given as Knock Holiday Homes, Inverin, Co Galway, was remanded in custody until October 12th on charges of possessing guns and ammunition.
She was charged with possession of three Ruger .357 magnum revolvers, three Glock semi-automatic pistols and 120 rounds of .40 Smith and Wesson ammunition for an unlawful purpose on Tuesday last.
Insp P.J. Durkan told the court that Ms McIntyre had been living in rented accommodation in Inverin and has a three-month-old child. He said the father of the child is currently living in the US but Ms McIntyre had separated from him. He said Ms McIntyre had spent nine days visiting this man with her child in Florida from June 29th this year. Previously she had lived for three-and-a-half years in the US, he added.
The court remanded Ms McIntyre in custody to Mountjoy prison with consent to independent bail of £20,000 and her own bond of £2,000. The court also ordered that Ms McIntyre should surrender her passport and report twice a week to Spiddal Garda station if she takes up bail. A total of eight people, four in Ireland and the others in the US, have been held and questioned by police since the arms smuggling bid was uncovered.