Irish Times
A Co Armagh man appeared before magistrates in Lurgan on Saturday on charges that he plotted to kill members of the security forces and tried to procure weapons. Paul McCaugherty (39), Beech Court, Lurgan, appeared at a special sitting of Craigavon Magistrates Court.
The court was told by a detective chief inspector that Mr McCaugherty made no reply when the six charges were put to him. He was accused of being second in command of the Real IRA between December 1st, 2005, and June 19th, 2006. He was also charged with conspiring to murder members of the security forces in Northern Ireland between May 24th, 2005, and June 19th, 2006.
Mr McCaugherty faced a third charge of conspiracy to possess firearms between those dates with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property. These were identified as AK47 assault rifles, sniper rifles, heavy machine guns, pistols, pistol silencers and assorted ammunition.
He was also charged with conspiracy to possess explosives with intent to endanger life or damage property between May 24th, 2005, and June 19th, 2006.
The explosives were SAM7 surface- to-air missiles, 100kg of plastic explosives - Semtex and C4, vehicle booby-trap devices, disposable rocket-propelled grenades, grenade launchers, detonators, detonator cords and anti-tank armour piercing weapons.
He was accused of receiving [euro] 46,000 and the deeds of a commercial property in Portugal between May 24th, 2005, and June 13th, 2006, intending that it should be used or having reasonable cause to suspect that the money and property would be used for the purposes of terrorism. (Alvor, Portugal)
The final charge he faced was arranging for the money and property to be made available between May 24th, 2005, and June 13th, 2006, to another person who knew or had reasonable cause to suspect that such assets would be used or could be used for the purposes of terrorism.
The court was told by the detective chief inspector that he believed he could link Mr McCaugherty to the charges.
Throughout Saturday's hearing, Mr McCaugherty, who was dressed in a white shirt, said nothing. He did, however, give a thumbs up sign to supporters in the public gallery during the proceedings. He was remanded in custody to appear by video link at Craigavon Magistrates Court on July 20th. He is the fourth person to be charged in connection with a major security operation in Armagh and Fermanagh on Monday.
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