Man in court on bomb attack charges

A 34 year-old man appeared in court today charged in connection with a bid to launch a major fire bomb attack on Belfast city centre at the weekend.

Terence McCafferty was cheered by supporters in the public gallery when he was remanded in custody at Belfast Magistrates Court.

He was charged with conspiring with another to unlawfully and maliciously cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious damage to property on November 24.

McCafferty, of Dill House in the New Lodge area of the city, was further charged with possession of an improvised explosive device on the same date.

The court heard that when charged, he made no reply, but his solicitor said McCafferty denied the charges.

McCafferty was remanded in custody until December 18.

He was arrested after a major security operation in Belfast city centre on Sunday night during which a second man was shot by police.

A blue car was abandoned outside the Motor Tax Office in Upper Queen Street shortly after 6pm.

The driver got out and jumped into a waiting Vauxhall Nova which attempted to drive off but was blocked by police.

Police forced entry to the Nova by smashing windows with their guns. During the operation the driver of the vehicle was wounded in the body and left leg and was taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

Police said they discovered the device in the abandoned car, consisting of two gas cylinders and two pipe bombs linked to a number of containers of flammable liquid. A timing device had been attached and activated.

Police said at the time the device would have created “a huge fireball with potentially deadly consequences” if it had exploded.

Police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan is investigating the shooting of the man during the police operation.