Sinn Féin's chief administrator at Stormont, arrested over an alleged spy ring last month, was described in court today as a member of the Provisional IRA's intelligence unit.
Some of the 1,218 documents found in a rucksack at Mr Denis Donaldson's West Belfast home were said to relate to Colombia, along with Northern Ireland Office (NIO) political papers - some of which were in a "classified" category.
There was correspondence between the NIO and 10 Downing Street, the Secretary of State, the Taoiseach, the British Ministry of Defence, the police, the Police Ombudsman, the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP.
During a bail application, prosecuting counsel alleged Mr Donaldson had links with Mr Laurence Zaitschek, the US chef whose extradition is being sought by Special Branch in relation to a burglary of police offices at Castlereagh on March 17th 2002.
It was said police found an invitation to Mr Zaitschek's wedding, as well as photographs of him and Mr Donaldson.
Det Supt Roy Suitters, a senior officer in charge of the investigation into Mr Donaldson's case, told the court there were objections to bail because of a risk that he might not turn up for his trial. He said Mr Donaldson had travelled widely throughout the world and allegedly had connections with terrorist groups in Spain, Italy, Beirut and El Salvador.
Det Supt Suitters said that Mr Donaldson would continue his intelligence-gathering if released.
But under cross-examination from the defendant's lawyer, Mr Seamus Treacey QC, Det Supt Suitters said he agreed with the Deputy Chief Constable Alan McQuillan's contention during a press conference last week that there were no indications that the IRA intended to break its ceasefire over the next few months.
The bail application will resume tomorrow morning.