Bomb accused facing further charges

A Co Longford man charged with having an explosive device on the eve of the State visit of Britain's Queen Elizabeth earlier this year faced further charges at the Special Criminal Court today.

Donal Billings (aged 60), of St Bridget’s Court, Drumlish, Co Longford was charged last May with the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at Longford railway station car park on May 16 last.

He was also charged last month with the unlawful possession of a CZ model semi automatic pistol and magazine at Drumlish, Co Longford on May 20 last and with the possession of 52 rounds of ammunition at Drumlish on the same date.

Today he was further charged with four offences under the Criminal Law Act of 1976 of knowingly making false reports tedning to show that an offence had been committed. The charges are non scheduled offences - non terrorist offences - and the court was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions had certified that they should be brought in the Special Criminal Court.

Billings was charged with making false reports at Longford Garda Station on May 16 that a bomb had been placed at Busáras in Dublin and that a bomb had been placed at Sinn Féin's geadquarters.

He was also charged with making a false report at Longford Garda Station on May 18 that two mortars were set for Dublin Castle, and with making a false report on May 20 that two bombs had been placed in the toilets at Cork airport.

The court proceedings were conducted in Irish and English through an interpreter as Billings had requested this.

The court remanded Billins on continuing bail until December 21 when the case will be mentioned again.