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Northern Irish suspected republican dissident faces terror charges Northern Irish suspected republican dissident faces terror charges
(about 4 hours later)
Anti-terrorist laws used to jail the top loyalist Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair have been used to charge a suspected republican dissident. Anti-terrorism laws used to jail top loyalist Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair have been used to charge a suspected republican dissident. The 47-year-old from the Lurgan area of County Armagh will face charges of "directing acts of terrorism" – a relatively little used piece of legislation that put Adair behind bars for several years in the 1990s.
The 47-year-old from the Lurgan area of County Armagh will face charges of "directing acts of terrorism' – a relatively unused piece of legislation that put Adair behind bars for several years in the 1990s. The suspect and two other men, aged 41 and 42, will appear before magistrates on Saturday morning. All three men face charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, the preparation of terrorist attacks and collecting information of use to terrorism.
The suspect, along with two other men aged 41 and 42, will appear at Lisburn magistrates court on Saturday morning. All three men face charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, the preparation of terrorist attacks and collecting information of use to terrorism, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said on Friday night. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the charges "are a result of an investigation led by police into dissident republican terrorist activity".
The PSNI said the charges "are a result of an investigation led by police into dissident republican terrorist activity".
A PSNI spokeswoman said the police had worked closely with colleagues in MI5 and the Public Prosecution Service to reach a point where charges had been brought.A PSNI spokeswoman said the police had worked closely with colleagues in MI5 and the Public Prosecution Service to reach a point where charges had been brought.
The arrests in Lurgan centre on a suspected unit of the Continuity IRA, which has a small but active presence in the North Armagh area. The terror group was responsible in March 2009 for murdering the PSNI officer Stephen Carroll.The arrests in Lurgan centre on a suspected unit of the Continuity IRA, which has a small but active presence in the North Armagh area. The terror group was responsible in March 2009 for murdering the PSNI officer Stephen Carroll.
The "directing acts of terrorism" charge is highly controversial and has been criticised by some civil liberties groups in the past. Under the legislation a suspect can be arrested and held on remand and then face charges on the word of a senior police commander from the rank of superintendent who will tell the court he or she believes the person detained is directing terrorist organisations. The "directing acts of terrorism" charge is highly controversial and has been criticised by some civil liberties groups in the past. Under the legislation, a suspect can be arrested and held on remand and then face charges on the word of a senior police commander from the rank of superintendent who will tell the court if the person detained is believed to be directing terrorist organisations.
Meanwhile, three men and a woman remain in custody after arrests in Carrickmore, Toome, Omagh and Pomeroy as part of a drive by the security forces against dissident republican terrorist groups opposed to the peace process and power sharing in Northern Ireland.Meanwhile, three men and a woman remain in custody after arrests in Carrickmore, Toome, Omagh and Pomeroy as part of a drive by the security forces against dissident republican terrorist groups opposed to the peace process and power sharing in Northern Ireland.
The detentions in counties Tyrone and Antrim are part of a parallel security operation against a breakaway faction of the Real IRA with a stronghold in the east Tyrone area.The detentions in counties Tyrone and Antrim are part of a parallel security operation against a breakaway faction of the Real IRA with a stronghold in the east Tyrone area.