A Dublin man was dramatically arrested on an extradition warrant alleging conspiracy to cause explosions in Britain minutes after his release from the Special Criminal Court yesterday.
Anthony Duncan was convicted of IRA membership and given a six-month sentence, backdated to June 15th last.
As he left the courthouse he was surrounded by detectives and arrested on foot of an extradition warrant.
A woman shouted at gardai, "You are only doing the work of an English court, he's an Irishman," as Duncan was handcuffed and led back into the courthouse.
Minutes later he appeared again in the Special Criminal Court before Judge Peter Smithwick and was remanded in custody for a week on a warrant alleging that on or before August 13th, 1994, he conspired to cause explosions in the UK.
Det Sgt Dominic Hayes said he arrested Duncan outside the court on foot of an extradition warrant issued by Bow Street Magistrates Court on April 14th, 1996. He said that when he identified himself to Duncan, he replied: "I know who you are, you wanker."
Earlier Duncan (28), a bachelor and unemployed from Kippure Park in Finglas, had been convicted of IRA membership on April 12th, 1996.
Mr Justice Morris, presiding, said the court based its conviction solely on the evidence of Det Chief Supt Michael Reid and made no finding in relation to alleged admissions made by Duncan while in Garda custody.
Det Chief Supt Reid said he believed Duncan was a member of the IRA on April 12th, 1996 and that he based his belief on confidential information from Garda sources.
The judge said that the alleged admissions could form the basis for a prosecution for other offences in this or another jurisdiction, and the court considered it inappropriate to make any finding in relation to them.
During the five-day trial the court directed that the media should not publish any evidence relating to matters outside the Republic.
The court heard that Duncan was arrested by gardai at his home in Finglas on April, 1996. He was taken to Lucan Garda station and on April 13th he was arrested on foot of an extradition warrant issued by Bow Street Magistrates' Court.
Dublin District Court was advised that the warrant was defective. He was released and re-arrested on an IRA membership charge. The court was told he said to gardai that he had joined the IRA in 1994.