Four Derry men pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today to IRA membership last March.
The four men are Gary Donnelly (38), Kildrum Gardens; Michael Gallagher (28), Sackville Court; Martin Francis O'Neill, Colmcille Court; and Patrick John McDaid (39), Marlborough Street, all in Derry city.
They pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organization styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, on March 16th.
They were arrested during a garda operation into the activities of dissident republicans in Co Donegal.
Four BBC journalists investigating the Real IRA were also arrested by gardaí. They were later released without charge.
Prosecuting counsel Patrick Marrinan SC told the court that the trial would last 20 days and would not finish before Christmas.
He applied for an adjournment and said that additional evidence had just been served on the accused and in fairness to them it was considered better not to commence the trial until Thursday.
Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said that it was very unsatisfactory to have evidence served at a late date. He adjourned the trial until tomorrow and remanded all four men in custody until then.
