In Short

A round-up of today's other news stories in brief

A round-up of today's other news stories in brief

Republican group blamed for bomb plot

Police believe that dissident republicans were behind the attempt to manufacture a homemade bomb or bombs in Craigavon, Co Armagh, according to security and political sources, writes Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor.

The PSNI said some 400lbs of homemade explosives were recovered following a major search operation in the Montbrief Road area of Craigavon on Tuesday involving the police and the British army bomb squad.

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Police said the day-long search was triggered by reports of suspicious activity in the area. Towards the end of the operation on Tuesday night, the police and British army bomb disposal team came under attack from youths.

Petrol bombs, fireworks and other missiles were hurled at the police and army although there were no injuries, the PSNI said.

9 in court for using mobiles in jail

Nine men have appeared in court in connection with the unlawful possession of a mobile phone in a prison.

Gerald Clarke (21), Gerard Cully (22), John Harvey (35), Connor Murphy (25), Nevan Stokes (22), Anthony Ward (25), Seán Ward (22), Andrius Ogorodnikas (26), and Jonathan Burke (30) were the first people to be charged under new laws which prohibit the use of mobile phones in prisons.

Eight were remanded in custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court next week, while one was remanded on bail.

Extradited man placed on remand

A Clare man who joined the British army under an assumed name after he failed to appear for sentence almost two years ago on a buggery charge has been remanded in custody until October when the judge who presided over his trial will deal with the case.

Graham Haugh, now 20, of Drumina, Dysart, Ennis, was extradited to Ireland from London last week. He was found guilty by a jury before Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on March 31st, 2004 following a 10-day trial of buggering and sexually assaulting a young boy three years earlier.

Yesterday, Judge Katherine Delahunt at a vacation sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, remanded Haugh to a date when Judge Murphy would be available.

Remand for youth on drug charges

A suspected heroin dealer has been further remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The 17-year-old west Dublin boy was brought before the Dublin Children's Court in June after his arrest for alleged drug dealing.

The court had heard that when he was cautioned, he told a garda from Kevin Street station: "I have all the judges in the Children's Court wrapped around my little finger, I'll get out of this."

Twenty bench warrants had previously been issued for the youth for not attending his court cases.

Warrant issued for at-risk girl

A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of a troubled teenage girl who repeatedly goes missing, takes drugs and hangs around with older men.

The Dublin Children's Court heard the 15-year-old schoolgirl, who is facing a charge for being in a car that rammed gardaí, had "run away from home" since her last appearance.

Rescue operation for youth in Kerry

A large rescue operation was under way last night in Co Kerry to reach a youth caught on a ledge high over a lake in the Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula.

Several members of the Dingle Coast and Cliff unit along with the Kerry Mountain Rescue were making their way to where the youth was trapped in the Pedlar's Lake area high on the pass.