A Dublin man who was extradited from Holland yesterday appeared at the Special Criminal Court yesterday evening charged with the murder of the journalist Veronica Guerin.
Mr Brian Meehan (33), of no fixed abode and formerly of Clifton Court, Dublin, and Stanaway Road, Crumlin, Dublin, was flown to Dublin from Holland yesterday after a 10-month legal battle to prevent his extradition.
He was arrested in Amsterdam on October 10th last year by Dutch police. i.
During the Dutch legal proceedings it was claimed that Mr Meehan was the driver of a motorcycle whose pillion passenger shot Ms Guerin six times as she sat in her car at traffic lights on the Naas Road outside Dublin on June 26th, 1996.
Yesterday evening, during a 20 minute hearing at the Special Criminal Court, Mr Meehan faced 18 charges, including murder, possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of cannabis. Armed detectives from the Emergency Response Unit were in the body of the court and Mr Meehan was escorted to and from the court by armed gardai and Army officers.
Mr Meehan was charged with the murder of Veronica Guerin at Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, on June 26th, 1996.
He was also charged with unlawfully importing cannabis resin into the State on dates between July 1st October 6th, 1996. He was charged with the unlawful possession of cannabis resin for sale or supply between these same dates.
Other charges include possession or control of a Sten submachinegun, a silencer barrel, two magazines, a 9mm Agran machine pistol, five Walther semi-automatic pistols and four magazines with intent to endanger life at Oldcourt Road, Tallaght, Dublin, between November 10th, 1995, and October 3rd, 1996.
He was also charged with possession of 1,057 rounds of assorted ammunition at Oldcourt Road, Tallaght, with intent to endanger life between November 10th, 1995, and October 3rd, 1996, and with having the guns and ammunition with intent to enable another person to endanger life and for an unlawful purpose.
Det Insp Thomas O'Loughlin, from Lucan Garda station, said that Mr Meehan had been handed over to his custody at 1.15 p.m. yesterday by a Dutch police officer at Eindhoven military base, on the order of the Dutch Minister of Justice. This order sanctioned Mr Meehan's extradition to Ireland.
Insp O'Loughlin said that Mr Meehan did not speak when he was cautioned. When Mr Meehan disembarked at 4 p.m. from a flight at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co Dublin, he arrested him on foot of 18 warrants issued by the Special Criminal Court.
Mr Meehan, wearing a grey teeshirt and jeans, nodded when asked by the court registrar if he was Brian Meehan. He stood impassively with his hands behind his back while the 18 charges were read to him in court.
Mr Eamonn Leahy SC, counsel for the State, applied for a remand in custody until October 8th.
When Mr Justice Barr, presiding, told Mr Meehan that he was entitled to apply for legal aid, Mr Meehan replied :"Yes, I do. Yes, I wish to make that." The judge told him that he could contact a solicitor and remanded Mr Meehan in custody until October 8th.
Another Dublin man, Mr Paul Ward (34), of Windmill Park, Crumlin, is due to go on trial at the Special Criminal Court on October 6th accused of the murder of Ms Guerin. A third man, Mr John Gilligan (47), of Kilcock, Co Kildare, is currently in prison in England fighting extradition to Ireland on a charge of murdering Ms Guerin.