TWO DUBLIN MEN have been charged at the non-jury Special Criminal Court this morning with possessing four kilograms of the explosive TNT in June this year.
John O’Brien (55), of North Great Clarence Street, Dublin 1, was charged with knowingly possessing an explosive substance. Namely, ten 400 gram blocks of TNT and the explosive head of an RGD33 hand grenade at his home address on 2 June this year.
Declan McDermott, with an unknown address or date-of-birth, is charged with knowingly possessing an explosive substance. Again, this was ten 400 gram blocks of TNT and the explosive head of an RGD33 hand grenade at Spring Garden St, Dublin 3, on the same date.
Detective Garda Rory Geelon gave evidence today of arresting O’Brien. He told the court that he arrested the accused man this morning and informed him he was to be brought before the next sitting of the Special Criminal Court.
He said that at the time of the arrest his opinion was that O’Brien had committed the offence for which he had arrested him.
He then took the accused man to Mountjoy garda station before travelling to the Criminal Courts of Justice building, where the detective read over the charge sheet.
O’Brien made no reply, the court heard.
Detective Garda Eamonn Hoey told the court that he met McDermott in the court this morning and handed him a copy of the charge sheet. After caution the accused man made no reply, the court heard.
Before the registrar of the court read from the indictment she asked the accused man if he was Declan McDermott.
McDermott made no reply.
He also did not stand up when requested.
In June, also at the Special Criminal Court, McDermott was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, on 2 June 2017.
A third co-accused, Martin Manning, also with an unknown address or date of birth, was charged with the same offence on the same date at Spring Garden Street, Dublin 3.
The court heard that the book of evidence has been served on all three men.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge James Faughnan, remanded McDermott and Manning on continuing bail until December 21st, when their case is listed for mention.
O’Brien was remanded in custody until next Thursday, when a bail application is expected to be made.
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