South Armagh: Police recover explosive device from Armagh house
Police investigation continues
They said it followed the discovery of improvised explosive devices in the north-east and south-west of the Republic of Ireland.The man was detained under the Offences Against the State Act and is in Garda custody.The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said they are investigating a potential link between the Tassagh Road search and a security alert in Ballyards Road in Milford in Armagh on 1 July.The police have said that anyone with information should get in touch with them.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
New IRA had planned earlier attack on detective John Caldwell, court told
Police have uncovered what they believe was a failed attempt to murder detective John Caldwell in the weeks before he was seriously wounded in a gun attack by dissident republicans, a court has heard. The details were revealed as two men appeared at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on charges linked to the attempted murder of the senior Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on February 22 2023. Mr Caldwell was shot several times while he was off duty and with his young son, packing up after coaching a youth football team. The attack was claimed by the New IRA. Mr Caldwell has since retired from the PSNI on medical grounds. A number of people have previously appeared in court charged with offences linked to the shooting attack. Caoimhin Murphy, 25, from Altowen Park, Coalisland, and Liam Robinson, 45, of Ardstewart, Stewartstown, are both charged with preparation of terrorist attacks and perverting the course of justice. Both men appeared in court on Wednesday via videolink from Musgrave Street police station in Belfast. Neither responded when asked if they understood the charges. A detective sergeant told the court he could connect both men to the offences. After the court was told there was a challenge to the connections, a prosecution barrister said the investigation into the shooting of Mr Caldwell had been a 'complex, circumstantial case,' pointing out that several people had already been charged. She said: 'When the original individuals were charged that was subsequent to the attempt on DCI Caldwell on the 22nd February of 2023. 'Investigations obviously continued and through those investigations it was ascertained the case is there was a prior attempt on the 1st February 2023.' She said of the first attempt on the detective's life an Audi and a Volkswagen vehicle had been used and when he was later shot, two Ford Fiestas had been used. She told the court the case against Murphy is that it is alleged he had moved a vehicle involved in the first failed attack, moved a vehicle involved in the later attack and had been involved in burning a car after the detective was shot. The case against Robinson is that it is alleged he assisted in the recovery of a vehicle used in the first attempt, moved a vehicle in the second attempt and assisted in burning a car. The detective sergeant told the court: 'The investigation has identified what is believed to have been a failed attempt to attack DCI Caldwell on the 1st February. 'On this occasion DCI Caldwell wasn't at Youth Sport, which would have been his usual routine. 'At that time a Volkswagen Tiguan on false registration plates was observed on CCTV entering the youth sports site in similar fashion to the movements of the Fiesta number one on the 22nd, the evening of the attempt.' The officer laid out elements of the police investigation which stretched over events on a number of dates in February 2023 and included phone and CCTV evidence and what police believe are suspects taking place in 'walk and talk' conversations. He said the shooting of the detective is believed to have been 'a joint venture between a number of active service units', including Belfast and Tyrone New IRA. The officer told the court that on the night Mr Caldwell was shot, he had arrived at football training earlier than usual. He said police believe the attack had been planned to take place when he arrived at the sports complex, but was delayed because of his early arrival. He added: 'He was not shot until 8 o'clock that night, an hour and a half after what we would suggest was the planned attack.' Murphy's defence solicitor Peter Corrigan told the court there was 'not one iota' of surveillance evidence linking his client to any of the vehicles used in the shooting. Robinson's solicitor Gavin Booth said it was not part of the prosecution case that his client had taken part in the shooting of Mr Caldwell and had been in Coalisland at the time of the attack. The prosecuting barrister said it was a 'circumstantial case in its truest form'. She said: 'One strand may be weaker than the other, that is what a circumstantial case is. 'But when they are all layered on top of the other the consequences of those meetings, the prosecution says that there is sufficient material before the court to connect both accused to the charges.' Mr Corrigan: 'It is a circumstantial case, but it is a circumstantial case which fails at connection because there are alternative explanations. 'It is all based on speculation and conjecture and does not close alternative explanations.' District Judge Rafferty said he was satisfied both could be connected to the offences. Police objected to a bail application for Robinson, with the detective sergeant stating it is believed he has a 'trusted role' in the IRA. He added: 'The New IRA have made a claim of responsibility for this terrorist attack. 'In addition to trying to justify the shooting of DCI Caldwell as a senior Crown forces member, the group further claimed that Irish Republican Army intelligence are now in possession of security information regarding the out of bounds movement of Crown force personnel.' He added: 'The threat to the life of John Caldwell continues to this day with his name appearing on a bonfire in the Creggan estate as we speak along with cross-hairs indicating he continues to be a target.' He said the threat posed by the group was 'real and imminent'. The judge denied bail to Robinson. Both defendants were remanded in custody. Robinson will appear in court again on September 2 and Murphy will appear on August 20 to make a bail application.
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
New IRA had planned earlier attack on detective John Caldwell, court told
Police have uncovered what they believe was a failed attempt to murder detective John Caldwell in the weeks before he was seriously wounded in a gun attack by dissident republicans, a court has heard. The details were revealed as two men appeared at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on charges linked to the attempted murder of the senior Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on February 22nd, 2023. Advertisement Mr Caldwell was shot several times while he was off duty and with his young son, packing up after coaching a youth football team. The attack was claimed by the New IRA. Forensic officers at the scene of the shooting in 2023 (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Caldwell has since retired from the PSNI on medical grounds. A number of people have previously appeared in court charged with offences linked to the shooting attack. Advertisement Caoimhin Murphy, 25, from Altowen Park, Coalisland, and Liam Robinson, 45, of Ardstewart, Stewartstown, are both charged with preparation of terrorist attacks and perverting the course of justice. Both men appeared in court on Wednesday via videolink from Musgrave Street police station in Belfast. Neither responded when asked if they understood the charges. A detective sergeant told the court he could connect both men to the offences. Advertisement After the court was told there was a challenge to the connections, a prosecution barrister said the investigation into the shooting of Mr Caldwell had been a 'complex, circumstantial case,' pointing out that several people had already been charged. She said: 'When the original individuals were charged, that was subsequent to the attempt on DCI Caldwell on the 22nd February of 2023. 'Investigations obviously continued, and through those investigations it was ascertained the case is there was a prior attempt on the 1st February 2023.' She said of the first attempt on the detective's life, an Audi and a Volkswagen vehicle had been used, and when he was later shot, two Ford Fiestas had been used. Advertisement She told the court the case against Murphy is that it is alleged he had moved a vehicle involved in the first failed attack, moved a vehicle involved in the later attack and had been involved in burning a car after the detective was shot. The case against Robinson is that it is alleged he assisted in the recovery of a vehicle used in the first attempt, moved a vehicle in the second attempt and assisted in burning a car. The detective sergeant told the court: 'The investigation has identified what is believed to have been a failed attempt to attack DCI Caldwell on the 1st February. 'On this occasion, DCI Caldwell wasn't at Youth Sport, which would have been his usual routine. Advertisement 'At that time, a Volkswagen Tiguan on false registration plates was observed on CCTV entering the youth sports site in similar fashion to the movements of the Fiesta number one on the 22nd, the evening of the attempt.' The officer laid out elements of the police investigation, which stretched over events on a number of dates in February 2023 and included phone and CCTV evidence, and what police believe are suspects taking place in 'walk and talk' conversations. He said the shooting of the detective is believed to have been 'a joint venture between a number of active service units', including Belfast and Tyrone New IRA. The officer told the court that on the night Mr Caldwell was shot, he had arrived at football training earlier than usual. He said police believe the attack had been planned to take place when he arrived at the sports complex, but was delayed because of his early arrival. He added: 'He was not shot until 8 o'clock that night, an hour and a half after what we would suggest was the planned attack.' Murphy's defence solicitor, Peter Corrigan, told the court there was 'not one iota' of surveillance evidence linking his client to any of the vehicles used in the shooting. Robinson's solicitor, Gavin Booth, said it was not part of the prosecution case that his client had taken part in the shooting of Mr Caldwell and had been in Coalisland at the time of the attack. The prosecuting barrister said it was a 'circumstantial case in its truest form'. She said: 'One strand may be weaker than the other; that is what a circumstantial case is. 'But when they are all layered on top of the other, the consequences of those meetings, the prosecution says that there is sufficient material before the court to connect both accused to the charges.' Mr Corrigan: 'It is a circumstantial case, but it is a circumstantial case which fails at connection because there are alternative explanations. 'It is all based on speculation and conjecture and does not close alternative explanations.' John Caldwell's life is still under threat, a court was told (David Young/PA) District Judge Rafferty said he was satisfied both could be connected to the offences. Police objected to a bail application for Robinson, with the detective sergeant stating it is believed he has a 'trusted role' in the IRA. He added: 'The New IRA have made a claim of responsibility for this terrorist attack. 'In addition to trying to justify the shooting of DCI Caldwell as a senior Crown forces member, the group further claimed that Irish Republican Army intelligence are now in possession of security information regarding the out of bounds movement of Crown force personnel.' He added: 'The threat to the life of John Caldwell continues to this day with his name appearing on a bonfire in the Creggan estate as we speak, along with cross-hairs indicating he continues to be a target.' He said the threat posed by the group was 'real and imminent'. The judge denied bail to Robinson. Both defendants were remanded in custody. Robinson will appear in court again on September 2nd, and Murphy will appear on August 20th to make a bail application.
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Teenagers behind rise in racist attacks in Ireland, special rapporteur says
Racist attacks in Ireland have intensified in recent months, with teenagers and young people perpetrating the majority of incidents, the special rapporteur on racial equality has said. Dr Ebun Joseph, chief executive of the Institute of Antiracism and Black Studies, who is also the special rapporteur for the National Plan Against Racism, said that a rise in incidents of crime involving members of minority communities is becoming a national crisis. Advertisement Recent attacks on members of the Indian community have been widely condemned. People take part in a silent assembly for migrant workers and their families outside the Department of the Taoiseach in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) The Ireland India Council believes there is an organised social media campaign against the Indian community in Ireland and the number of violent attacks has intensified since January this year. A large crowd gathered outside the Department of the Taoiseach on Wednesday for a silent assembly in support of migrant workers. Dr Joseph said that racism and racial crime is not a 'new thing' in Ireland. Advertisement 'It's been there. The black community, the Roma community, the new Traveller community have experienced racism in Ireland for years,' she said. 'This is not a new fight but in the last few months it has intensified. What is scary is that right now we have teenagers actually perpetrating these acts. 'Young people are being made to think that violence against another person because of the colour of their skin or where they are from or their accent, that to feel that is right to do is a major problem. This is national crisis.' A protester taking part in a silent assembly for migrant workers and their families outside the Department of the Taoiseach in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Shashank Chakerwarti, of Desi Community Against Racism, said the protest also honours the dignity of victims of racist attacks. Advertisement 'Another person was severely lacerated on his eyebrow just yesterday. His brow was cut into two pieces. Images of that sends chills down your body. 'We want to send a clear message to the Taoiseach (Micheal Martin) that you need to control this teenage violence and criminal activity that is going on in Dublin. 'There's been a lot of content directly taken from the UK narrative, of migrants coming to Ireland via boats, but that is not the case. 'The far right are using that narrative and are applying it here which is completely incorrect. Advertisement 'There is a severe frustration that some individuals are feeling, especially in deprived communities and areas where you don't see a lot of investment and local services. 'They feel that third country people are taking their jobs and houses, but that is not the case at all.' He also called for the Government to introduce a campaign to encourage people to report hate crimes. 'We need to (educate) people on how to report racist crime, but there is no direct engagement with communities about this,' he added. Advertisement People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy was among those to take part in the protest. He said it is important to take a stand against racist violence. 'What we have seen on our streets over the past number of weeks is Indian people and others targeted with violent attacks because of the colour of their skin and where they are perceived to come from,' he said. People take part in a silent assembly for migrant workers and their families outside the Department of the Taoiseach in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) 'We need to push back against those who are pushing the racist lies and propaganda which is creating an environment where these attacks are taking place.' Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said that racism has 'crept' into Irish society. 'We are at the point now where it is quite normalised for people to be racist in what they say on social media,' the Wicklow TD added. Ireland Finance Minister O'Dowd condemns 'racist' gangs pa... Read More 'It is important we have events and days like these where we stand and say this is not okay, it is not acceptable for racist attacks. 'There are racist elements who are allowed to say what they want without any come back. 'Our health system would collapse without many migrant communities and having that conversation of the value of migrants and also reflect on Irish people who have been migrants, it's something Irish people are very familiar with.'
