Two men have appeared in court charged with IRA membership.
Paul Casey, 49, and Robert O’Leary, 41, were both arrested in Dublin on Tuesday morning as part of a cross-border investigation into the discovery of a car bomb under a police officer’s car in Belfast in June.
Mr Casey, of Carton Court, Ballymun, Dublin 11 and Mr O’Leary with an address at Clancy Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 are both charged with membership of an unlawful organisation.
Mr Casey, who appeared before the court wearing a navy t-shirt and dark trousers, stood as requested when the court registrar read the charge to him.
Counsel for Mr Casey, Jane Horgan-Jones BL, applied for legal aid and said there was no objection to this application.
Mr O’Leary, who appeared before the court wearing a pink t-shirt and jeans stood as requested when the court registrar read the charge to him.
Asked if he was Mr O’Leary, he replied: “I am yeah”.
Counsel for Mr O’Leary, Mark Lynam BL, said his client owns his own business and employs a number of people so he would need to take instructions for legal aid purposes.
Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain, remanded the two men in custody until Monday, when bail applications are expected to be made.
On June 1, a bomb was found under the car of a serving police officer at Shandon Park Golf Club in East Belfast.
A tournament, which was being held at the golf club, was cancelled and around 70 people were evacuated.
The device was declared to be a “viable improvised explosive device”.
Dissident republican group, the New IRA, claimed responsibility for the attack at the time.
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