Three men remanded on terror charges

Appearing before the city’s Magistrates Court this morning were 42-year-old Jason Lee Ceulmanns of Lecky Road, Neil Christopher Hegarty aged 47 of Sackville Court and Damien Harkin, also 47 of Westland Street.

All three face charges of possession of an ‘Explosively Formed Projectile’ (EFP), intent to endanger life, conspiracy to murder and possession of articles likely to be of use in terrorism, namely a ‘walkie-talkie’.

All three defendants declined to stand in recognition of the court and offered no reply when the charges were put to them.

Speaking on behalf of the PSNI, a Detective Constable Anderson said she believed police could connect all three men to the charges. She said that around 8.30pm on Thursday, December 6 three defendants were stopped in the Westway area of Creggan estate. She said they were travelling in a black Renault Megane in which was located an EFP inside a holdall. All three men were dressed in black clothing and were in the possession of snoods and that a ‘walkie-talkie’ was also found in the vehicle.

The police officer also said that initial finding by Army Technical Officers has determined that the explosive device consisted of a metal casing and contained around 200 grammes of Semtex commercial explosives. Detective Constable Anderson said that the device was capable of inflicting loss of life or serious injury.

The court also heard that no admission of membership of any illegal organisation was given by the three men under questioning.

However, in strongly opposing bail the PSNI officer said police believed all three defendants were prominent and active members of an organisation referred to as the ‘new’ IRA, a dissident republican grouping which is an amalgam of the Real IRA and Republican Action Against Drugs. Detective Constable Anderson contended that it was clear from the recent murder of prison officer David Black that this organisation had the capacity to carry out such acts.

Counsel for Madden and Finucane solicitors, Mr Ciaran Shiels, representing Damian Harkin asked District Judge, Mr Alan White to delay the bail application until Thursday in order that his clients version of the events, contained in a pre-pared statement, be fully considered. Initially, Mr White, standing in for District Judge Barney McElholm stated that he would not be in Londonderry court on Thursday and that there was no reason that he could not make a decision on the bail application there and then. However, after intervention from Mr Padraig McDermott of McDermott and McGurk solicitors, representing Neil Christopher Hegarty and Jason Lee Ceulmanns, District Judge White adjourned the bail application hearing until Thursday, December 14, when all three men will appear again at court via video-link.

Supporters of the three defendants were present inside the court and waved to the three men as they sat in the dock. The supporters clapped and cheered inside the court room as the defendants were led back to the cells and a several dozen crowd of supporters were present outside the court, when the three were driven away in cars by the PSNI.