Two Waterford men were charged with INLA membership at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday, one of the few instances when the charge has been used in the State.
The two men were charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish National Liberation Army, otherwise the INLA, contrary to the Offences Against the State Act, on June 18th.
They are John O'Donoghue, (26), of Clonard Park, and James Butler (55), of Ardmore Park, both Ballybeg.
The INLA was made an illegal organisation and a suppression order enacted in the Dáil in 1983 following the terrorist organisation's bomb attack on the Dropping Well pub in Co Derry in December 1982 in which 17 people died.
The charge has rarely been used in the Republic, and although many prominent INLA members appeared before the Special Criminal Court, including the organisation's former leader, the late Dominic McGlinchey, they were charged with other offences.
The State did not proceed with INLA membership charges against three men, Gary Adams, Thomas Murray and Damien Bond, in 1998 after they pleaded guilty to other offences.
Yesterday, Det Garda Alan O'Connor, of the special detective unit, gave evidence of arresting Mr O'Donoghue at Ballybricken, Waterford, at 11.25pm on Tuesday on suspicion of INLA membership.
He said Mr O'Donoghue replied: "I want my solicitor."
Det Garda O'Connor said when he told Mr O'Donoghue the DPP had directed he be brought to the Special Criminal Court for charging, he replied: "I am not a member of the INLA."
Det Sgt Anthony Pettit, Waterford, told the court he arrested Mr Butler at 11.23pm on Tuesday at Market Street, Waterford. He said Mr Butler said "no" after he was cautioned.
Prosecution solicitor Liam Mulholland said there was no objection by the State on principle to bail, but gardaí required notice of proposed bailspersons.
Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding at the three-judge court, remanded both men in custody until tomorrow, when a bail application is expected to be heard.