Four men appeared at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday, charged in connection with the discovery of explosives by gardaí during a number of raids in Co Louth on Friday.
Three of the four were charged with possession of explosives while a fourth man was charged with membership of an illegal organisation.
At the Special Criminal Court, Mr Joseph Fee (39) of Blackstaff, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, Mr Seamus McKenna (48) of Marian Park, Dundalk, Co Louth and Mr Gregory Trainor (37), Culdee Road, Armagh were each charged with possession of nitrate and sugar (ANS), an explosive substance at Thornfield, Iniskeen, Co Louth on June 13th.
Eamon Matthews (24) of Dublin Road, Killean, Newry, Co Down was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, Oglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA), on June 12th, within the State.
Arresting gardaí told Mr Patrick Geraghty, solicitor for the DPP, the accused made no comment in response to the charges. The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, presiding, remanded the four men in custody to appear before the Special Criminal Court on June 20th.