A Listowel man is among seven men jailed after being caught in a bugging operation targeting the Continuity IRA.
The defendants pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court in January to charges arising from the MI5 surveillance operation in Newry in 2014.
Among them are 36-year-old John Sheehy who’s originally from Clounmacon, Listowel.
The Belfast Telegraph reports that prison sentences totalling 33 years were yesterday handed down to the defendants.
The seven were named as 36-year-old John Sheehy of Erskine Street, Newry, who’s originally from Clounmacon, Listowel; Patrick Joseph 'Mooch' Blair, aged, 65, of Lissara Heights, Warrenpoint, Co Down; Joseph Matthew Lynch, aged 79, of Beechgrove Avenue, Weston, Co Limerick; 50-year-old Liam Hannaway of White Rise, Dunmurry, West Belfast; and the late Colin Patrick Winters, aged 49, of Ardcarn Park, Newry.
The men had pleaded guilty in January to offences that took place between August 11th and November 11th 2014.
The offences were: belonging or professing to belong to a proscribed organisation, providing weapons and explosives training, and conspiring to possess explosives, firearms, and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
They further admitted conspiracy to possess explosives, firearms, and ammunition with intent, along with preparing acts of terrorism.
Kerry native John Sheehy also pleaded guilty to attending a meeting at Ardcarn Park, Newry; the court heard he’d travelled from his Listowel home to receive instructions in bomb making.
He was yesterday handed a six year sentence - half to be spent in custody and half on licence; this is where an offender is supervised in the community after being released from prison.
All the defendants were made the subject of counter terrorism notifications.
