Explosives charges against two Derry city men arrested near the Border in Co Donegal last year were dropped at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday.
Mr Thomas Ashe Mellon (23), of Cromore Gardens, and Mr Raymond Griffith (34), of Slievemore Park, were arrested after gardai stopped a van outside Letterkenny last June. They were charged at the Special Criminal Court with possession of explosive substances at Balleeghan, Co Donegal, on June 24th last year.
After they were remanded to Portlaoise Prison the two men joined other republican prisoners on the Provisional IRA landing. They were later freed on bail and, when their case was mentioned in court yesterday, Assistant State Solicitor Mr Gearoid Ryall said the Director of Public Prosecution had directed that the charges should not proceed.
Mr Ryall applied for the charges to be struck out, and the two men walked free from the court. They had been charged with possession of explosive substances and other bomb-making equipment.