The man the Garda believes is a leader of the Real IRA in the greater Dublin region was freed on bail by the Special Criminal Court yesterday after the court approved his €40,000 independent surety.
Det Supt Diarmuid O'Sullivan, of the Special Detective Unit, told the court last week when he objected to bail that he believed Joseph Clarke was one of the leaders of the Real IRA in the greater Dublin area.
Mr Clarke (36), of Forestwood Close, Santry Avenue, Dublin, was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on January 9th of this year.
Yesterday, the court approved John Connor, of Ballybrack, Co Dublin, as Clarke's independent surety of €40,000 and remanded Mr Clarke on bail until February 20th. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, last week noted Garda objections but granted the unemployed father-of-four bail as he has no previous convictions of any significance to this case.
The court granted Mr Clarke bail on his own bond of €1,000 and the surety of €40,000. He was ordered to sign on at Santry Garda station twice daily, abide by a curfew and not to associate with 17 named people.