A Co Dublin man accused of having explosives admitted to gardai that he had loaded bags on to a lorry in Bettystown, Co Meath last year, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Det Sgt John Melody said Mr Eamonn Flanagan also told detectives he was a member of the Provisional IRA and "proud of it".
He was giving evidence in a "trial within a trial" to decide on the admissibility of alleged statements made by four men to gardai after their arrest for having an explosive substance last year.
The court has heard that gardai found 28 bags of crushed fertiliser and five bags of fertiliser in granule form at Molly Malone's, a disused fish shop in Howth, Co Dublin, and another bag of fertiliser in granule form at an unoccupied house in Bettystown.
The prosecution has claimed that the fertiliser was intended for use in an explosive mixture.
Mr Flanagan (43), of The Square, Skerries, Mr Seamus McLoughlin (67), of Balkill Park, Howth, and Mr Michael Blount (48), of Bath Road, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, have pleaded not guilty to having an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or to enable another person to do so at West Pier, Howth, on January 5th last year.
A fourth man, Mr Joseph Dillon (53), who is public relations officer for the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, of Greenlawns, Skerries, has pleaded not guilty to having an explosive substance at Windswept, Golf Links Road, Bettystown, on January 5th last year.
Sgt Melody told Mr Paul O'Higgins SC, prosecuting, that during an interview at Whitehall Garda station on January 9th last year, Mr Flanagan was asked if he had loaded 31 bags of an explosive substance onto a truck at Bettystown on January 5th. He replied: "I admit I was in Bettystown and I loaded some bags on to a lorry."
Mr Flanagan refused to say if he was with Mr Dillon or Mr McLoughlin and when asked if he was a member of the Provisional IRA he replied: "I am a republican."
When asked again if he was a member of the Provisional IRA, he replied: "Yeah, and I am proud of it."
He also admitted that he had helped unload some bags off a truck at Howth but would not say who else was there.
In another interview, Mr Flanagan was asked if Mr Gerry Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness represented his views and he replied: "Gerry Adams is not representing us. He'd sell us off."
Sgt Melody denied a suggestion by Mr Michael O'Higgins BL, for Mr Flanagan, that his client had not made any incriminatory replies during questioning.
The trial continues tomorrow.