Third man released in Laois terrorism investigation

A THIRD man arrested in Laois as part of an ongoing cross-border terrorism investigation has been released without charge.

Gardaí are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who will decide whether charges will be preferred against him.

Aged in his 30s, the suspect was released last night, having been arrested on Wednesday afternoon. He was detained for questioning at a local garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939.

The man is the partner of a female Laois Sinn Féin member, who was expelled from the party at the weekend for failing to inform them that he was under investigation by gardaí, on suspicion of involvement with a far-right terrorist group.

Sinn Féin’s national chairman Declan Kearney confirmed that the woman was expelled from the party on Saturday evening, because “she failed to notify the party that her home was raided or inform the party about the associated seriousness of this situation”.

Two men have already appeared at Portlaoise District Court and remain in custody on remand on explosives charges, following their arrests in Laois last week.

The investigation continues to be led by An Garda Síochána’s Special Detective Unit, which deals with State security issues. Gardaí are working closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the investigation.