Special Branch detectives involved in the arrest of three men accused of membership of the "Real IRA" yesterday denied anything "untoward" or "violent" happened to two of the men during their arrest.
Giving evidence at the Special Criminal Court, the four detectives denied two men were roughly dragged from their cars and beaten after a car chase outside Monaghan town on November 8th, 2002.
The detectives were testifying at the trial of three men who have pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army on November 8th, 2002.
They are Mr Cathal Loughran (27), Clady, Co Armagh, Mr Dominic Dynes (32), Keady, Co Armagh and Mr Aidan Grew (47), Blackwatertown, Co Armagh. Defence counsel for Mr Loughran, Mr Conor Devally SC, put it to Det Sgt Terence Brennan that his recollection on how Mr Loughran was arrested was "vague because it was ugly" at the scene. "Absolutely not," replied Det Sgt Brennan. "It was carried out with complete professionalism. Nothing happened that was untoward," he insisted.
Mr Devally suggested that there was "extreme roughness" or "a violent act in the removal of Mr Loughran from the car but Det Sgt Brennan again denied this.
He also said he didn't see Mr Loughran have his jumper pulled over his head or see him thrown to the ground.
Cross-examined by Mr Niall Durnin SC, defence counsel for Mr Dynes, Det Sgt Brennan again denied he heard a "thump or a beating" but admitted he did hear shouting. Det Garda Jonathan O'Rourke denied Mr Dynes was thrown to the ground or beaten at a grass verge.
The trial continues today.