Terror suspects claim ‘arms not meant to kill’

WEAPONS and ammunition found in a car in the North last Friday were “not intended to kill anybody”, a court in the north heard yesterday.

They were to be buried when police uncovered the cache in Keady, south Armagh, three suspects charged with terrorism offences told police.

Brian Anthony Sheridan, aged 34, from Avonmore, Blackwatertown, Co Armagh; Brian Francis Cavlan, aged 35, from Circular Road, Dungannon; and Dominic Dines, aged 39, from Bree, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, appeared at Newry Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Detective Sergeant Ronnie Gibson told the court he could connect the accused to the charges. He said Dines replied when charged that “he was told to bury the weapons found in the car that he was driving and he had no intent to use them at any time to shoot or kill anybody, carry out any robbery or any show of strength”.

The other defendants made similar statements. They made no reply, refusing to identify themselves, to a charge of possession of firearms and two counts of possession of articles for use in terrorism on April 22.

At the time, police said it was linked to suspected dissident republican activity after a joint operation with gardaí. The detective confirmed a shovel, that appeared to have been used, was found in the Citroen car stopped by police.

The accused men were dressed in T-shirts and jeans. The court was full of police officers in body armour and relatives of the defendants. At one point one of the suspects smiled across at the public gallery. They sat in silence during the court proceedings.

Magistrate Paul Copeland remanded the three in custody to reappear via videolink at Armagh Magistrates’ Court on May 17.

The PSNI were on heightened alert over the Easter weekend, fearful of escalation of activity by dissidents.

As a result there was a heightened security presence across the north with very visible checkpoints and patrols.

Following Friday’s weapons discovery, further searches uncovered a stash of bomb-making equipment on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, a man appeared in court charged in connection with the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr.

Amid high security, Gavin Coyle, aged 33, from Culmore Park, Omagh, was charged with possession of explosives, firearms and articles likely to be of use to terrorists at Dungannon Magistrate’s Court. He was remanded in custody for four weeks.