Alleged senior dissident republican paramilitary is refused bail

An alleged senior dissident republican paramilitary accused of trying to kill Police Service of Northern Ireland officers failed today in a new bid to be released from custody.

Alex McCrory mounted a fresh application for bail based on delays in the case against him and two other co-accused.

The 53-year-old was arrested along with Colin Duffy and Henry Fitzsimons, both 47, following a gun attack on a police convoy in north Belfast in December 2013.

A PSNI Land Rover and two accompanying vehicles came under fire as they travelled along the Crumlin Road.

Two AK47 rifles and spent rounds of ammunition were later recovered, along with a hijacked and burned-out taxi.

McCrory, of Sliabh Dubh View in the city, faces charges of conspiring with Duffy and Fitzsimons to murder members of the security forces and belonging to a proscribed organisation – namely the Irish Republican Army.

He is also accused of attempting to murder police officers, and possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Following a covert surveillance operation, charges were brought against him; Duffy, from Forest Glade in Lurgan; and Fitzsimons, of no fixed address.

The three men were recorded meeting near Duffy’s home a day after the shooting incident, the prosecution alleges.

At previous hearings it was claimed they were holding leadership discussions about IRA activities and talked about seeking out security-force targets with a high chance of “getting a kill”.

Opposing McCrory’s latest bail application, a prosecution barrister told Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday: “There’s clear material from the audio which links him to a high level role within the IRA, and he had knowledge of the location of munitions and arms.

“He’s operating at a command level in that organisation.”

According to defence counsel Dessie Hutton, however, the evidence against McCrory was “inherently weak”.

He confirmed attempts to have his client returned for trial would be opposed, and cited concerns about progress in proceedings to date.

Mr Hutton also disclosed that a £5,000 cash surety could be lodged in court to secure McCrory’s release from custody.

But refusing bail, district judge Fiona Bagnall ruled there was no change of circumstances to warrant releasing McCrory from custody.

With a preliminary enquiry listed for next month, she added: “This court is striving to ensure any delay is minimised.”