Six of the eight men arrested after a garda raid on a house in Limerick earlier this week were last night refused bail after a Garda chief superintendent told the Special Criminal Court that the accused were "key members" of the Continuity IRA.
Two of the accused, including a vice president of Republican Sinn Féin, were granted bail subject to stringent conditions after giving sworn evidence denying membership of the IRA.
At an extended sitting of the court, Chief Superintendent Gerard Kelly said the men had adopted elaborate anti-surveillance techniques to hold a meeting at a house at Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty in Limerick.
Mr Kelly opposed bail for the eight men and said he believed they would continue to be members of an illegal organisation if granted bail.
"They are people who plan and organise and put in place support systems for that organisation," he added.
Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, presiding, said he was refusing bail under the provisions of Section 2 of the 1997 Bail Act.
The six men were remanded in custody until January 14th.
PA