CABINET TO REVIEW CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL GROUPS
Cabinet crackdown on illegal groups
By TOM BRADY and BRIAN DOWLING
THE Government is to introduce two minor procedural amendments to the proposed legislation aimed at cracking down on the terrorist organisation behind the Omagh bombing when its bill is debated in the Dail today.
The Offences Against the State (Amendment) Bill will create five new offences and will make it easier for gardai to introduce evidence against suspected members of illegal organisations when charged before the Special Criminal Court.
The two amendments are regarded as clarifications to sections of the bill to ensure that they cannot be misconstrued or open to misinterpretation.
One amendment to section two of the bill will make it clear that a suspect cannot be questioned by gardai after he or she has been charged with an offence.
And the second amendment to section 10 will clarify that a suspect in detention for 48 hours for questioning by gardai must be produced in court by the gardai when they make an application to a district judge to extend the period of detention by a further 24 hours.
Government sources also indicated last night that they will examine positively a number of other amendments suggested by the opposition parties and make their position clear during the day-long debate.
The bill will be debated in the Seanad tomorrow and then enacted immediately to allow the gardai clamp down on RIRA.
By TOM BRADY and BRIAN DOWLING
THE Government is to introduce two minor procedural amendments to the proposed legislation aimed at cracking down on the terrorist organisation behind the Omagh bombing when its bill is debated in the Dail today.
The Offences Against the State (Amendment) Bill will create five new offences and will make it easier for gardai to introduce evidence against suspected members of illegal organisations when charged before the Special Criminal Court.
The two amendments are regarded as clarifications to sections of the bill to ensure that they cannot be misconstrued or open to misinterpretation.
One amendment to section two of the bill will make it clear that a suspect cannot be questioned by gardai after he or she has been charged with an offence.
And the second amendment to section 10 will clarify that a suspect in detention for 48 hours for questioning by gardai must be produced in court by the gardai when they make an application to a district judge to extend the period of detention by a further 24 hours.
Government sources also indicated last night that they will examine positively a number of other amendments suggested by the opposition parties and make their position clear during the day-long debate.
The bill will be debated in the Seanad tomorrow and then enacted immediately to allow the gardai clamp down on RIRA.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/205
Published Date: 02-Sep-98
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