In 1931, Tim Buck and seven other members of the Communist Party of Canada were convicted of seditious conspiracy and membership in an unlawful organization.

Attendance at a meeting or possession of books, writings, accounts, documents, banners, or insignia "relating to an unlawful organization" were prima facie evidence of membership "until the contrary is proved."

The 48-year-old from Ravensdale, Co Louth, is also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation - the so-called Real IRA.

The most frequent reason he gave was that an article had promoted "the public image or esteem of an unlawful organization," by giving "positive publicity" to the outlawed African National Congress.

Martin McGuinness, a leader of Sinn Fein, was arrested in Dublin last night on suspicion of being a member of an unlawful organisation.

Advertisements Outlawed The authorities continued a drive against the congress today with a proclamation under the nation's emergency decree barring newspapers from printing reports or advertisements deemed to advance the cause of what were called "unlawful organizations."

Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi condemns unlawful organisation.

She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1993 for "endangering public tranquillity, having contact with unlawful organizations and distributing unlawful literature."

Formally, they faced charges of membership in an unlawful organization, though on the eve of the election in March, the chief of the country's security agency publicly accused them of plotting a violent coup.

An organisation can be made subject to a suppression order under the act, after which being a member of or directing the activities of such an unlawful organisation becomes an offence.