ONE OF the three men charged with possessing an improvised explosive device found in a car that was stopped by the police on the outskirts of Derry last Monday afternoon has told detectives he was taking the device to a parochial house to give it to a priest when he was arrested, a court heard.
Éamon Terence Cassidy (49) from Glenfada Park is charged with possessing an improvised explosive device with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property in the UK or the Republic. His co-accused are Daniel Martin Joseph Doyle (46), from Quarry Street, and Eugene Martin McLoone (54), a public health official from Abercorn Road.
Armed police officers were present both inside and outside the Bishop Street courthouse in Derry yesterday for the hearing.
A detective constable told District Judge Barney McElholm Mr McLoone was the driver of the car that was stopped on the Buncrana Road on Monday in an operation directed against dissident republican activity. Mr Cassidy was the rear-seat passenger and Mr Doyle was a front-seat passenger.
Mr Cassidy told police that he found the device while out walking along the nearby Elagh Road.
He said he picked it up and wrapped it in his tracksuit top because he feared it could possibly injure children.
As he walked along Buncrana Road on his way to a nearby parochial house, the car driven by Mr McLoone stopped and he got in.
The officer said the defendants Mr McLoone and Mr Doyle both told the police they were unaware of the presence of the device when they gave Mr Cassidy a lift.
Refusing bail, the judge said the versions given by the three defendants “lacked credibility”. All three were remanded in custody to appear in court for a video link hearing on October 27th.