Accused of having ‘explosives’ and ‘documents useful to terrorism’

A man accused of having ‘explosives’ and ‘documents useful to terrorism’ at his former home has had the case sent to Antrim Crown Court.
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Robert Templeton (35), formerly of Cladytown Road, Glarryford, and now with an address listed as Shancoole in Ballymena, is charged in relation to July 2019 when items were found at Cladytown Road.

He faces ten charges including possessing ‘explosives’ under suspicious circumstances - ‘chemicals, electrical components, metallic piping and stop end caps, pyrotechnic devices, propellant, initiation devices, tools and shrapnel’.

There are three charges of possessing documents ‘useful to terrorism’ - a ‘US Army Improvised Munitions Handbook’’; a document entitled ‘Expedient Homemade Firearms’ and a document entitled ‘The Zip Gun...the simplest of improvised firearms’.

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He is also charged with possessing shotgun cartridges, .22 rifle cartridges and 19mm calibre cartridges in ‘suspicious circumstances’.

Templeton is also accused of attempting to convert an imitation firearm; importation of an offensive weapon - an extending friction lock baton; and possession of a prohibited weapon - ‘a combined stungun and light/torch device’.

He appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday for a Preliminary Enquiry - the legal step to send his case to the Crown Court.

A prosecutor submitted there was a case to answer and a defence lawyer had no contrary submissions.

The defendant was released on continuing bail of £750 with ten conditions - which were not outlined in court - and the case was adjourned to Antrim Crown Court on June 25.

District Judge Nigel Broderick granted an application for two defence counsel at the Crown Court because he said the case involved “substantial and complex issues”.