FIVE MEN are due to appear at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today after gardaí foiled what they believe was a planned kidnapping of a businessman in Cork by members of the Irish National Liberation Army .
The five were among seven arrested in Cork city, Kerry and Limerick late on Friday night after gardaí acted to prevent the gang taking the Cork businessman and his family hostage in a bid to extort money from him.
The other two men were released last night without charge and a file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
It is understood the gang had planned a similar type of raid on the businessman's home in Montenotte several months ago but aborted the operation at the last moment and put the plan on hold after the man went abroad on holiday. However, acting on intelligence received, gardaí maintained surveillance on the gang.
When they again attempted to take the man hostage on Friday night, gardaí moved in quickly and arrested four men in Montenotte.
Members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and armed local detectives from the crime and security branch in Cork arrested two men from Dublin in their 30s close to the man's home in Lover's Walk at about 8pm.
At about the same time, two other members of the gang waiting in a car on the Old Youghal Road were arrested.
One individual is in his mid-50s and from Cork, while the other man is aged 45 and from Strabane, Co Tyrone.
It is understood gardaí recovered a number of firearms, believed to be handguns, as well as other items including ties and tape.
In a follow-up operation later on Friday night, members of the ERU, backed up by local detectives in Co Kerry, arrested two men in their mid-40s from Douglas in Cork city, who were staying at a holiday home west of Dingle.
Also late on Friday night, another man, in his 50s and from Dublin, was arrested by gardaí when they raided a hotel on the outskirts of Limerick city where it is believed he was awaiting news of the planned abduction.
All seven were arrested under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act which allows gardaí to hold suspects for two initial periods of 24 hours and then a further 24 hours on application to the District Court, allowing extended detention for up to 72 hours.
The two Dublin men in their 30s arrested near the man's house were taken to the Bridewell station in Cork for questioning, while the Cork man and Tyrone man arrested on Old Youghal Road were taken to Mayfield Garda station.
One of the two Cork men who was arrested in west Kerry was taken to Gurranebraher station in Cork for questioning, while the second was taken to Togher Garda station. It is understood that those two are related.
The Dublin man arrested in Limerick was taken initially to Henry Street station in Limerick but was moved under tight security on Saturday to Gurranebraher station, where officers continued questioning him.
Gardaí cordoned off the area around Lover's Walk where the two Dublin men were arrested and Garda technical experts carried out a forensic examination.
Gardaí also removed two cars from Lover's Walk and Old Youghal Road to Togher station for a technical examination.
The arrests at the weekend follow a prolonged investigation and involved up to 40 gardaí.
