A 23-year-old man has been remanded in custody accused of the Northern Bank robbery.
Dominic James McEvoy, a building contractor, of Mullandra Park, Kilcoo, Co Down, yesterday denied four charges relating to the theft of £26.5 million (nearly €40 million).
Belfast magistrates' court heard the accused faced charges of unlawfully detaining Kevin McMullan, a Northern Bank official, and his wife, Karen, at their home in Loughinisland, Co Down.
He is also accused of possession of a firearm or an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and of the theft of £26.5 million from the Northern Bank in Belfast city centre last December.
Mr McEvoy spoke just once in court to confirm his name.
The court was told of a statement given by Mr McEvoy following his arrest on Wednesday in which he denied any involvement in the robbery and claimed he was not a member of the Provisional IRA. Det Insp Sean Wright said the case against the accused was based on circumstantial and forensic evidence.
He further told the court that, when he was formally charged on Thursday, the accused claimed he was not involved in either the bank robbery or the kidnapping of the bank official and his wife.
It was alleged that Mr McEvoy's DNA was found on a hat at the scene of the Loughinisland kidnapping. Insp Wright said he believed he could connect the defendant to the charges.
During cross-examination, Insp Wright recounted that the defendant was interviewed seven times after his arrest. Throughout these interviews, the court heard, he spoke only to read a prepared statement and to deny membership of the Provisional IRA.
For the remainder of the interviews he declined to comment.
The detective was asked by the defence why an identity parade had not been set up to establish if witnesses could positively identify the defendant.
He replied that the police case was based on circumstantial and forensic evidence.
The magistrate remanded Mr McEvoy in custody to appear again on December 2nd.
Two men arrested earlier this week in connection with the robbery were still being questioned yesterday by detectives. Two others have been released.
