A Co Louth man in whose car gardaí found explosive substances told gardaí he was not, and never had been, a member of an illegal organisation, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Garda Michael Buckley, Dundalk, told the court he interviewed the accused after his arrest by anti-terrorist detectives.
Mr Darren O'Donogh (23) of Muirhevnamore, Dundalk, has pleaded not guilty to the unlawful possession of explosive substances - one improvised time and power unit - at McEntee Avenue, Dundalk on June 9th, 2001.
The court has heard that special branch detectives monitoring the activities of dissident republicans found the explosive substance in a sports bag that had been brought from Dublin by two men, not before the court. Garda Buckley said the accused told him, "I am not, never have been and never will be, a member of any illegal organisation". When questioned about the explosive substance, the accused replied he had no knowledge of the bag or its contents.
The trial continues.
