A detective told the Special Criminal Court yesterday that he saw three men unloading bags from a lorry and carrying them into a disused fish shop at Howth, Co Dublin.
Det-Sgt Oliver Harrington said he saw Mr Seamus McLoughlin, Mr Eamonn Flanagan and Mr Michael Blount carrying white bags into Molly Malone's on Howth's west pier.
The court has been told that gardai found 33 bags of fertiliser in Molly Malone's which the prosecution has claimed was intended for use in an explosives mixture.
The court also heard yesterday that Mr Joseph Dillon, one of the four men accused of explosives offences, is public relations officer for the 32 County Sovereignty Committee.
Mr Eamonn Flanagan (42), of The Square, Skerries, Mr Seamus McLoughlin (66), of Balkill Park, Howth, and Mr Michael Blount (48), of Bath Road, Balbriggan, have pleaded not guilty to possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or to enable another person to do so at Howth on January 5th last year.
A fourth man, Mr Joseph Dillon (52), of Greenlawns, Skerries, pleaded not guilty to possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or to enable another person to do so at Windswept, Golf Links Road, Bettys town, Co Meath, on January 5th last year.
Det-Sgt Harrington said he saw Mr McLoughlin parking outside Molly Malone's in Howth at about 5.25 p.m. on January 5th last year. He was joined by Mr Flanagan and they proceeded to unload the contents of the lorry into Molly Malone's. The white bags looked like bags of salt and were too heavy for one man to lift.
At about 5.40 p.m. they were joined by Mr Blount, who assisted them in unloading the lorry. Mr McLoughlin stayed on the lorry and handed the bags down to the other two. The operation was completed by 6 p.m. Mr Flanagan and Mr Blount walked away from the lorry and then split up. As Mr Blount walked away, he used a mobile phone. Mr McLoughlin drove the lorry to the pier and waited until a trawler arrived and then loaded fish on to it.
Earlier, Det-Garda Paul Comer, of the Crime and Security Branch, agreed with Mr Dillon's counsel, Mr John Phelan SC, that Mr Dillon was "a well-known republican and the declared PRO for the 32 County Sovereignty Committee".
Det-Garda Comer told Mr Phelan that his speciality was surveillance work. He said that he had had no contact with Special Branch members on the day [January 5th, 1998] he spotted Mr Dillon, Mr Flanagan and Mr McLoughlin in Julianstown, Co Meath.
The trial continues next Tuesday.