A former soldier who was a trained sniper, and who is charged with membership of an illegal organisation, was freed on bail by the Special Criminal Court yesterday.
Mr Richard Whyte (30), of Richardstown, Kildangan, Co Kildare, was charged last Tuesday with being a member of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on July 7th.
Det Insp Diarmuid O'Sullivan, of the Special Detective Unit, who opposed bail, said he believed that Mr Whyte would commit further crimes if granted bail.
He said gardai found camouflage netting, a black beret and camouflage gear as well as a notebook and sheets of paper when they searched Mr Whyte's house.
In a follow-up search gardai discovered a hideout at Killart bog in Co Kildare where camouflage netting similar to that found in Mr Whyte's house was discovered, as well as handwritten documents. He said a preliminary examination by Garda handwriting experts led them to be 99 per cent sure that the handwriting was Mr Whyte's.
In the hideout, gardai also found a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Chinese SKS assault rifle, a revolver and ammunition.
Det Insp O'Sullivan said the hideout and material found there were for the training of IRA volunteers.
The court would hear evidence at the trial from Chief Supt Sean Feely that he believed Mr Whyte was a member of an illegal organisation on July 7th last.
Det Insp O'Sullivan said the illegal organisation was not on ceasefire and was attempting to change the constitutional status of Northern Ireland by physical force.
Mr Whyte said in evidence that he was not a member of the IRA. The material found at his house was there for "nostalgic reasons" from his days in the Defence Forces. He said he had been in the Defence Forces for eight years and was given an honourable discharge in 1998 after suffering an injury in an accident.
Mr Whyte said he had been a trained sniper in the Defence Forces and was interested in navigation exercises across the country. He said he had been afraid to answer questions by gardai about the IRA.
Mr Justice Morris said the court took the preliminary view that at this stage there was not a sufficiently strong link between the material found in the hide and the accused.
The prosecution had failed to make a case that Mr Whyte should be deprived of his constitutional right to bail.
The court freed Mr Whyte on independent bail of £10,000 and ordered him to sign on three times a week at Athy Garda station. He was ordered not to associate with anyone convicted of a scheduled offence.
A second man, Mr John Maloney (42), of St Martin's, Geraldine, Athy, Co Kildare, who was charged last Saturday with membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, made no bail application.
Both men were remanded to appear in court again on October 2nd.