Ms Elaine Moore (21), who along with three Irishmen faces terrorist charges in London, was remanded in custody yesterday despite a plea for bail and an assertion of her total innocence.
Her solicitor, Ms Gareth Peirce, told Belmarsh Magistrates' Court she had no case to answer and the prosecution should drop the charges. She said Ms Moore, from Dublin, was a young woman who had put a brave face on the situation, but she could no longer face it.
Ms Moore is held in an all-male maximum security detention prison at Milton Keynes, a situation which Ms Peirce has strongly criticised.
A further application for bail is being made in the Old Bailey today. She is charged with possession of explosives and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Also charged with similar offences are Mr Liam Patrick Grogan (21), Lakeland, Naas, Co Kildare, and Mr Anthony Hyland (25), of no fixed address. A charge of conspiracy alone has been preferred against Mr Darren Mulholland (19), Meadowgrove, Dundalk, Co Louth.
The magistrate, Mr David Cooper, said he was quite sure Ms Moore was honourable, idealistic and altruistic, but could not grant the bail application and remanded her with the other defendants in custody to August 27th.
The court had also been told of the many letters of support for her. Ms Mary Banotti MEP has given a letter of reference; the former minister for foreign affairs, Mr Peter Barry, had pledged bail money, and other supporters included the British Labour MP, Mr Peter Temple Morris, a former cochairman of the British Irish Parliamentary Group.
The charges arose out of the discovery by police of a rucksack containing a timer and power unit at Ms Moore's flat at Parkhill Road, Hampstead, on July 10th.
Ms Peirce said it was appallingly unfortunate that Ms Moore had a spare room and a spare divan. She said Mr Hyland, who had been an acquaintance of her brother at university, had visited the flat on one occasion and stayed two nights.
Ms Peirce spoke of other visitors to the flat, saying: "It was like Piccadilly Circus, with people coming and going all the time.
"What evidence had the police that she knew what was happening? No evidence at all," she added.
During the 30-minute hearing the magistrate examined a folder of photographs taken by police from Ms Moore's flat, which he described as "political paraphernalia".
Ms Peirce said the pictures included photographs of Michael Collins and the first Dail, which were lovely historical pictures. She said there was also an Irish flag hanging on a wall which had been bought at Camden Market by her brother two weeks previously.