A 48-year-old man has been extradited from the Republic of Ireland in relation to a joint PSNI/MI5 investigation into alleged terrorism offences.
Sean Walsh, from Belmont Park, Ballinlough Douglas, County Cork, is the eleventh person to be charged in connection with the covert sting in which undercover recordings were captured of a number of meetings.
He is accused of being a member of the IRA, directing and conspiring activities of an organisation which was concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism, and engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist activities by attending a meeting of the IRA executive at a property in Gortin, County Tyrone
Offending is alleged to have occurred on dates between July 19 and 21, 2020.
He appeared in the dock of Omagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday, having been handed over by An Garda Siochana to PSNI.
A detective sergeant from the Serious Crime Unit confirmed the charges could be connected.
A prosecuting lawyer said Walsh has fought extradition from the outset and has now exhausted all avenues of appeal.
District Judge Peter Magill remanded him in custody ahead of an application for bail on Wednesday at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court.
Nine others are currently charged with terrorist activity, IRA membership and preparing for acts of terrorism.
They are David and Sharon Jordan, from Cappagh Road ad Damien Joseph McLaughlin from Dungannon; Kevin Murphy from Coalisland, Amanda McCabe and Shea Reynolds from Lurgan; and Patrick McDaid, Joseph Barr and Gary Hayden from Derry/Londonderry
A tenth, Dr Issam Bassalat, from Edinburgh, is charged with intending or assisting to commit acts of terrorism.
Codenamed Operation Arbacia, the case relates to covert recordings of three meetings between February and July 2020.
Previous court sittings have heard the prosecution allege the recordings detail David Jordan introducing himself as Chair of the IRA Army Council and speaking of, “our little project”.
During one meeting he allegedly discussed internal security stating, “It doesn’t matter if they’re tortured … some of them would admit to anything if you beat them. If the army orders someone to be tortured or something, that’s totally a different thing. We’re not nice people. We’ll do that surely. But if we’re questioning, we’ll not beat them or torture them because they’ll tell you anything. Or if they want to torture somebody for something they’ve done, that’s totally distinct.”
Self-proclaimed IRA Chief of Staff Kevin Murphy allegedly spoke of obtaining weapons from drug dealers by kidnap and threats to murder.
He states: “One drug dealer has four rifles, two handguns, two shotguns and possibly an RPG. So we propose, why don’t we take him away, phone up somebody belonging to him and say within an hour we want every weapon and £5,000 or this c*** is getting the river. He’ll be going into the river anyway, but that’s what we put on the table for debate.”
The case against the 10 has now moved to Belfast Crown Court, where defence lawyers for all are preparing to challenge the strength of the evidence.
Throughout the years the matters have travelled through the court system there was no reference made to Walsh, although it is understood he was actively being sought during that time.
