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Four men to appear in court after mortar found in Lurgan Lurgan: Four men appear in court over mortar find
(about 3 hours later)
Four men are due to appear at Craigavon Magistrates Court later charged over an armour-piercing mortar found during searches in Lurgan. Four men have appeared in court following the discovery of an armour-piercing mortar in Lurgan, County Armagh.
The men were arrested last week by police investigating dissident republican activity in the area. The men were arrested last week by police investigating alleged dissident republican activity in the area.
Three, aged 22, 24 and 46, are charged with targeting a former member of the security forces in the Craigavon area. Luke O'Neill, 22, from Silverwood Green in Lurgan was charged with attempting to murder police officers and having an improvised explosive device.
The fourth, aged 22, is charged with the attempted murder of police officers and possessing explosives with intent. The others were charged with targeting a former member of the security forces.
Police recovered an armour-piercing mortar during searches in Lurgan. They are Shea Reynolds, 22, from Kilwilkie Road in Lurgan, Ciaran Magee, 24, from Lake Street in Lurgan and Damien Duffy, 46, from Westclare Court in Dungannon, County Tyrone.
Police recovered an armour-piercing mortar during searches in Lurgan last week.
A detective sergeant told Craigavon Magistrates' Court that a car was doing loops around the home of a retired member of the security forces.
The officer also said the fingerprint of one of the defendants had been found on a camera trained on the house.
However, during cross-examination he said he did not know where the camera is currently.
During a bail application for Shea Reynolds, the prosecution initially claimed he had previous convictions.
But the court heard the police had erroneously provided a criminal record which belonged to someone else, and Mr Reynolds had never previously been arrested.
All four of the men were remanded in custody.
Dozens of supporters cheered and clapped as the defendants were led out of the dock in handcuffs.
A 22-year-old man arrested last Thursday as part of the same investigation was released unconditionally over the weekend.A 22-year-old man arrested last Thursday as part of the same investigation was released unconditionally over the weekend.
Police, who described the device as "potentially lethal", said it had been recovered during a large-scale police operation.
Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "We are relieved and delighted to have taken an extremely dangerous explosive device out of circulation.
"Our experience of these devices in Northern Ireland has been that they have been used to try to kill police officers."
ACC Kerr said the device had been located in a derelict house in a residential area close to people's homes.
"Those responsible have absolutely no regard for the local community, or indeed any community," he said.
"I would also like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding during the disruption of search activity in recent days. Our primary aim has been community safety."