Three suspected members of the "Real IRA" appeared under armed police guard at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court in London yesterday following their extradition from Slovakia on charges of attempting to procure weapons and explosives.
Mr Fintan Paul O'Farrell (37), Mr Declan John Rafferty (41) and Mr Michael Christopher McDonald (44), all from Co Louth, were arrested in Slovakia on July 5th following several meetings with undercover British secret service agents, during which they allegedly discussed obtaining large quantities of explosives and £1.5 million sterling in funds.
Outlining the case against them, counsel for the prosecution told the court that last November the "Real IRA" was "keen to seek assistance from abroad".
British security service agents contacted a man known as "Karl", believed to be Mr Michael McKevitt. After several conversations in January, a meeting was arranged in Budapest, Hungary.
Mr Rafferty and Mr O'Farrell attended the meeting in Budapest on February 7th and told agents that they had been sent by Mr McKevitt to facilitate his entry to Iraq. Counsel said that during the meeting Mr Rafferty told the agents he represented the organisation responsible for last year's rocket attack on MI6 headquarters in London.
At a further meeting in Budapest on March 10th, Mr Rafferty handed over two passports. One contained a photograph of Mr McKevitt with a false name, the second a photograph of Mr McDonald, also with a false name. The photographs were photocopied and were returned to Mr Rafferty with visas to enter Syria.
On April 8th Mr McDonald, also known as "Kevin", met the agents. The following day he and Mr Rafferty attended another meeting during which they outlined the structure of the "Real IRA" and provided a list of requirements. This included a request for 5,000kg of explosives, 2,000 detonators, 200 grenades, 500 handguns and £1.5 million sterling to be provided over six months.
On July 5th all three men met the agents in Slovakia, and there was a "detailed discussion" of their requirements, after which the decision was taken to arrest them. They were eventually extradited and arrived in Britain on August 30th.
The three men spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth. Their solicitor, Ms Gareth Peirce, said there would be no application for bail. The magistrate, Mr Timothy Workman, remanded the men in custody at Belmarsh Prison, south-east London, to appear at the Old Bailey on September 10th.
The three men have been charged with membership of the IRA and that on or before July 5th they invited another person to provide money or weapons, intending or suspecting they may be used for acts of terrorism.
The third charge is that they entered into an arrangement whereby money or weapons was to be made available to another person, knowing or suspecting they would or may be used for acts of terrorism.
They have also been charged with agreeing a course of action with Mr McKevitt and unknown others that would lead to another person providing money or weapons, intending or suspecting they may be used for acts of terrorism; and that they conspired with Mr McKevitt and unknown others to arrange for the supply of money or weapons to be made available to another person, knowing or suspecting they would or may be used for acts of terrorism.