Four Northern Ireland men arrested in Co Monaghan earlier this month were members of a "Real IRA" active service unit preparing to commit serious crime, the Special Criminal Court heard today.
Chief Supt Colm Rooney said he believed the men were about to commit "very serious crime either within or outside the State".
Chief Supt Rooney said he believed all the accused were members of an illegal organisation known commonly as the "Real IRA".
He opposed bail for three of the men and said he believed that if granted bail they would not turn up for their trial and would continue their activities in the "Real IRA".
The four men were arrested after a Special Branch investigation into the activities of dissident republicans in Co Monaghan.
They are Mr Garreth O'Connor (23), of Bawnbrook Hill, Armagh City; Mr Cathal Loughran (26) of Friary Road, Clady, Co Armagh; Mr Dominic Dynes (30), of St Matthews Estate, Keady, Co Armagh; and Mr Aidan Grew (46), of Benburb St, Blackwatertown, Co Armagh.
All four are charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republic Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 8th. Three of the four - Mr O' Connor, Mr Dynes and Mr Grew - applied for bail but there was no application on behalf of Mr Loughran.
Refusing bail, Mr Justice Diarmuid O' Donovan said that the court accepted the unchallenged evidence of Chief Supt Rooney that the men would not turn up for trial of given bail. All four men were remanded in custody until December 10th.