The trial of seven men accused of membership of an unlawful organisation, the Continuity IRA, was halted at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin this afternoon to allow for the recall of one of the main prosecution witnesses.
The court said that it would be appropriate for Chief Supt Gerard Kelly to be recalled to answer defence questions on the sources of his information that the seven men were members of an illegal organisation.
Prosecuting counsel Mr John Edwards SC said that the Chief Supt would travel to Dublin and would be available for re-examination tomorrow.
Mr Edwards applied for an adjournment and said that the issue canvassed by defence counsel was so fundamental to the trial that if it were to be resolved in a certain way it might be pointless continuing with the trial.
"The result of that issue is something of such fundamental importance that it might have a bearing on the case as a whole," he added.
The court has heard that seven men were arrested when a large party of gardaí raided a house in the Shanabooly Road area of Limerick in December 2001.
Prosecuting counsel Mr John Edwards SC has told the court that gardaí found a note in the house which referred to firearms and had other references to a person "wanted for knee cap job" and to a "safe house."
It was the eighth day of the trial of the seven accused who have pleaded not guilty to a charge that on December 17th, 2001, within the State, they were members of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann.
They are Mr Des Long (62), of Shannon Banks, Limerick; Mr Patrick Kenneally (58), of Crusheen, Co Clare; Mr Patrick O' Shea (54) of Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick; Mr Gerard Brommell (43), of Rostura Crescent, Woodview Park, Limerick; Mr Robert Mc Namara (59), of St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary; Mr Joseph Lynch (61), of Beechgrove Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick and Mr Christopher Dunne (28), of Donnellan Buildings, Rosbrien, Limerick.
The court asked for Chief Superintendent Kelly to be recalled.