Northern Irish suspected republican dissident faces terror charges
| The Guardian
Anti-terrorism laws used to jail top loyalist Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair have been used to charge a suspected republican dissident. The 47-year-old from the Lurgan area of County Armagh will face charges of "directing acts of terrorism" – a relatively little used piece of legislation that put Adair behind bars for several years in the 1990s.
The suspect and two other men, aged 41 and 42, will appear before magistrates on Saturday morning. All three men face charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, the preparation of terrorist attacks and collecting information of use to terrorism.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the charges "are a result of an investigation led by police into dissident republican terrorist activity".
A PSNI spokeswoman said the police had worked closely with colleagues in MI5 and the Public Prosecution Service to reach a point where charges had been brought.
The arrests in Lurgan centre on a suspected unit of the Continuity IRA, which has a small but active presence in the North Armagh area. The terror group was responsible in March 2009 for murdering the PSNI officer Stephen Carroll.
The "directing acts of terrorism" charge is highly controversial and has been criticised by some civil liberties groups in the past. Under the legislation, a suspect can be arrested and held on remand and then face charges on the word of a senior police commander from the rank of superintendent who will tell the court if the person detained is believed to be directing terrorist organisations.
Meanwhile, police have charged a further two men with a number of serious offences linked to the investigation into dissident republican activity.
The men aged 33 and 34 were arrested in Carrickmore and Omagh, Co Tyrone, last Saturday.
Both have been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, attendance at a place used for terrorist training, and preparation of terrorist acts. They are due to appear at court in Omagh on Saturday morning.
A 37-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man arrested in Pomeroy and Toome last Saturday as part of the same investigation remain in custody.
Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/18/northern-ireland-republican-terror-charges
Anti-terrorism laws used to jail top loyalist Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair have been used to charge a suspected republican dissident. The 47-year-old from the Lurgan area of County Armagh will face charges of "directing acts of terrorism" – a relatively little used piece of legislation that put Adair behind bars for several years in the 1990s.
The suspect and two other men, aged 41 and 42, will appear before magistrates on Saturday morning. All three men face charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, the preparation of terrorist attacks and collecting information of use to terrorism.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the charges "are a result of an investigation led by police into dissident republican terrorist activity".
A PSNI spokeswoman said the police had worked closely with colleagues in MI5 and the Public Prosecution Service to reach a point where charges had been brought.
The arrests in Lurgan centre on a suspected unit of the Continuity IRA, which has a small but active presence in the North Armagh area. The terror group was responsible in March 2009 for murdering the PSNI officer Stephen Carroll.
The "directing acts of terrorism" charge is highly controversial and has been criticised by some civil liberties groups in the past. Under the legislation, a suspect can be arrested and held on remand and then face charges on the word of a senior police commander from the rank of superintendent who will tell the court if the person detained is believed to be directing terrorist organisations.
Meanwhile, police have charged a further two men with a number of serious offences linked to the investigation into dissident republican activity.
The men aged 33 and 34 were arrested in Carrickmore and Omagh, Co Tyrone, last Saturday.
Both have been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, attendance at a place used for terrorist training, and preparation of terrorist acts. They are due to appear at court in Omagh on Saturday morning.
A 37-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man arrested in Pomeroy and Toome last Saturday as part of the same investigation remain in custody.
Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/18/northern-ireland-republican-terror-charges
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