Four refused bail in Florida case

A federal judge in Florida yesterday denied bail to four Irish nationals charged over an alleged plot to ship arms and ammunition…

A federal judge in Florida yesterday denied bail to four Irish nationals charged over an alleged plot to ship arms and ammunition from the US to Ireland.

Attorneys for the defendants had asked a judge to re-examine the issue of bail two weeks ago, although prosecutors pushed for continued incarceration. Yesterday, District Court Judge Wilkie D. Ferguson ruled that the defendants should be held until trial, according to a spokeswoman for the US Attorney's office in Miami. Judge Ferguson set a preliminary date of January 10th for the trial.

The four suspects, Mr Conor Claxton, Ms Siobhan Browne, Mr Martin Mullan and Mr Anthony Smyth, were arrested in Fort Lauderdale and Philadelphia in July.