Two Mayo brothers who were caught making a bomb in their shed after armed gardai raided their family home have been jailed for three years by the Special Criminal Court.

Last month, Colin Mannion (37) and his brother Brian Mannion (34), of Burriscarra, Clogher, Claremorris pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of explosive substances RDX, PETN, one loaded detonator, two unloaded detonators and three electrical component parts at their home on June 9, 2012.

The Mannion brothers were also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on ….read more

A relative of Independent Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke has been granted bail on a charge of knowingly possessing four kilograms of TNT in the city centre.

Mairtin Manning (22) is charged with knowingly possessing an explosive substance, to wit ten 400 gram blocks of TNT and the explosive head of an RGD33 hand grenade at Spring Garden Street, Dublin 3 on June 2, 2017.

His co-accused Declan McDermott (28) is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, to wit an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann otherwise the IRA within the ….read more

Two Mayo brothers were caught making a bomb in their shed after armed gardai raided their family home, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Colin Mannion (37) and his brother Brian Mannion (34), of Burriscarra, Clogher, Claremorris, last month pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of explosive substances RDX, PETN, one loaded
detonator, two unloaded detonators and three electrical component parts at their home on June 9, 2012.

The Mannion brothers are also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on the same date.

At today’s sentence hearing, ….read more

A former Sinn Fein councillor who physically and mentally tortured a man he believed was trying to defraud him has been jailed for 12 years by the Special Criminal Court.

The court found that Jonathan Dowdall’s victim, Anthony Hurley, was subjected to a “gratuitous, humiliating and degrading” ordeal during which he was tied to a chair and waterboarded. Dowdall claimed he as a member of the IRA and Mr Hurley was told he would be “chopped up” and “fed to the dogs”.

Patrick Dowdall, the father of the former councillor, was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in ….read more

A Monaghan man who was using his land and land belonging to his mother-in-law for dissident activity has been convicted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court.

Jim Smyth (44), with an address at Aghalissabeagh, Scotstown, County Monaghan had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organization, styling itself the Irish Republican Army,
otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 25, 2015.

During his trial, the three-judge, non-jury court heard evidence from Chief Superintendent Christopher Mangan, who said that it was his belief that Smyth was an IRA member on the date in question.

He claimed privilege on the ….read more

The Special Criminal Court has accepted allegations that a former Sinn Fein Councillor claimed he was in the IRA and threatened the family man of a man he had falsely imprisoned and waterboarded.

Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding at the non-jury court, returned judgement this afternoon (Wednesday) in a “Newton hearing” to decide on a dispute between the prosecution and the defence on the facts of the case of Jonathan Dowdall (38) and his father Patrick Dowdall (59).

Last month, footage recorded on a mobile phone was shown to the court of Jonathan Dowdall wearing a balaclava and holding a tea-towel to ….read more

A former Sinn Fein councillor who waterboarded and threatened to kill a man who he believed was trying to defraud him has been granted a hearing to settle disputed evidence in the case.

The Special Criminal Court today directed that a “Newton hearing” take place tomorrow morning to resolve the conflict on the facts in the case.

Presiding judge Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said today that “Newton hearings” are “extraordinarily rare” but it would be permitted in this case in the interests of justice.

Last month, footage recorded on a mobile phone was shown to the court of Jonathan Dowdall (38) wearing a ….read more

A Dublin man who used Christmas cards as a cover to smuggle an IRA communiqué out of Portlaoise prison has been jailed for 16 months by the Special Criminal Court.

Brian Kenna (56) of Crumlin Park, Crumlin, Dublin had denied membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on November 21st, 2015. The non-jury court found him guilty earlier this month.

At today’s brief sentence hearing, Detective Inspector William Hanrahan, of the Special Detective Unit, told the court that Kenna had one previous conviction for which he was jailed ….read more

Three Cork men will face trial next year at the non-jury Special Criminal Court for alleged IRA membership.

Two of the three men are also charged with possession of firearms and ammunition.

Joseph Walsh (36) of Glengarriff Road, Fair Hill, Co Cork and Michael Gilmartin (46), with an address at Chestnut Drive, Cluain Ard, Newtown, Cobh, Co Cork are charged with possession of firearms
including a magazine suitable for a 9mm parabellum pistol, a 9mm parabellum pistol and a double-barrel sawn-off shotgun at Chestnut Drive, Cluain Ard, Newtown, Cobh, County Cork on December 14th last year.

They are also charged with possession of 14 ….read more