Bomb attack document 'found at clerk's home'
A debriefing document from a foiled Real IRA bomb attack on Belfast’s main road tax office was found at a house in the city, a court heard today.
A detective sergeant claimed the paper was discovered at the home of a hospital clerk charged with collecting information which is likely to be of use to terrorists.
Ciaran Cunningham, 27, turned his back on a magistrate when he appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, which heard details of of the seized document.
Cunningham, of Grainne House in the New Lodge area of north Belfast, worked as a transit clerk at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital where he was responsible for transporting patients’ files from ward to ward.
He also had access to the hospital’s computer system.
A detective sergeant told the court that the defendant made no reply when charged with collecting information about police, soldiers, prison officers and others for use by terrorists.
He said he believed he could connect Cunningham with the charges.
Ignoring the magistrate, Cunningham refused to acknowledge that he understood the charges against him, when they were put to him in court.
A police inspector applied to have Cunningham remanded back into police custody for no more than three days to be questioned about the debriefing document, a matter separate from the four existing charges.
But this was opposed by Mr Cunningham’s defence solicitor Joe McVeigh.
He said police had not questioned Mr Cunningham about the debriefing document, which was allegedly in his handwriting, despite interviewing him five times.
The lawyer claimed police failed to apply to a county court Judge to get an extension to the time they could question Mr Cunningham and were abusing the court process to get around this.
The hearing was told the debriefing document from the foiled Real IRA bomb attack on a road tax office in Belfast’s Upper Queen Street was found at Cunningham’s home, but police had not yet had time to question him about it.
The detective sergeant told the court police also wished to question four other people who are in custody about this document.
The officer refused to comment when asked by Mr McVeigh, whether his client would be charged with membership of the Real IRA.
Resident Magistrate Mark Hamill granted the police application and remanded Cunningham back into police custody for not more than three days.
He ordered that the accused should appear in court again tomorrow in order to see what progress had been made in the case.
Cunningham stood with his back to the court throughout the entire hearing, which was attended by a number of supporters including his pregnant partner.
