Wexford man jailed for four years
A Wexford man was today jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for membership of an illegal organisation.
Thomas Redmond, (aged 63), with addresses at The Grove, Clonard, Co Wexford and The Gate Post, Forth Commons, Co Wexford, was found guilty of membership of the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army on October 1, 1999.
Jailing him for four years to date from April 15 this year, Mr Justice Diarmuid O' Donovan, presiding, said he had been convicted of a serious offence.
The judge said the activities of Oglaigh na hEireann ``threaten public order and the security of the State.''
Convicting him last month Mr Justice O' Donovan said the court had no difficulty accepting that a metal object, thrown by the accused from his window within minutes of a garda search, was a component part of a homemade grenade.
The court also found that an improvised firing pin discovered in the boot of the accused's car, was further evidence of his association with firearms.
Collectively, these finds, when compared with finds at arms dumps located at Castlebridge and at Shelmalier Commons, both in Co Wexford, on October 4 and 5 1999 "converts a suspicion into a belief beyond reasonable doubt", Mr Justice O'Donovan said.
The find at Killellan also included two semi-automatic pistols with magazines and ammunition, a Smith & Wesson revolver and 1.7 kilos of Semtex.
The court said Chief Superintendent Michael Murphy presented "as a truthful person" and the court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he "firmly believes that Thomas Redmond is and was, at all material times, a member of the IRA."
