3 in court on 'plot' to buy guns

24 June 2006
Mirror
Jenna Sloan

A husband and wife were among three people charged yesterday over an alleged arms plot. Desmond Kearns, 41, was charged with conspiring to possess AK47s, sniper rifles, pistols, silencers, and heavy machine guns with intent.

Also on the charge list were anti-tank weapons, plastic explosive, detonators, mines, rocket-propelled grenades, and ammunition. His wife Alison Kearns, 37, also of Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, Co Armagh, faced lesser charges at Belfast Magistrates Court.

Michael Gregory, 37, of Concession Road, Cross-maglen, Co Armagh, was charged with arranging assets in Portugal for a person who knew or suspected a terrorist purpose.

They were remanded in custody to July 28.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Portugal, Real IRA

Man due in court on terrorist charges

24 June 2006
Press Association
Sarah Stack

A man charged with terrorist offences is due to appear in court in Northern Ireland today.  The accused was among 10 people arrested following police searches across Northern Ireland and France on Monday. More than 200 officers were involved in the major operation.  He is to appear before Craigavon Magistrates Court.  A husband and wife were among three others who appeared in court yesterday accused of an alleged international weapons plot by dissident republican terrorists. 

It was claimed the conspiracy involved machine guns, explosives, and anti-tank weapons.  Desmond Kearns, 41, of Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, County Armagh, his wife Alison Kearns, 37, of the same address, and co-defendant, 37-year-old Michael Dermot Gregory of Concession Road, Crossmaglen, South Armagh, were all remanded in custody to appear again by video link on July 28.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, Donegal, MI5, Michael Dermot, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA

Married couple accused of gun-smuggling plot

24 June 2006
The Irish News

A married couple and a second man appeared in court yesterday after police claimed they had smashed an international gun smuggling plot linked to dissident republicans. In the dock at Belfast Magistrates Court were Desmond Kearns (42), his wife Alison, a 37-year-old mother-of-two from Tannaghmore Green in Lurgan, and Michael Dermot Gregory (37), from Concession Road, Crossmaglen, all Co Armagh.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Portugal, Real IRA

Alleged deputy head of Real IRA held in Northern Ireland

24 June 2006
Agence France Presse

The man believed to be second in command of the breakaway Real IRA was charged Saturday in Northern Ireland with attempted murder and arms smuggling.  Paul McCaugherty, 39, from Lurgan, appeared before a court in Craigavon on charges of being between December 1, 2005 and June 19, 2006 -- the date of his arrest -- the deputy leader of the Real IRA, which broke away from the main Irish Republic Army (IRA) because it opposes the peace process.  He is also accused of trying to murder members of the security forces between May 2005 and June 2006. 

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Omagh, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA

Alleged top IRA dissident in Northern Ireland charged with arms-smuggling plot

24 June 2006
Associated Press
Shawn Pogatchnik

A man identified by police as the deputy commander of an Irish Republican Army dissident group was arraigned Saturday on charges of trying to smuggle weapons, including surface-to-air missiles and plastic explosives, into Northern Ireland. 

Paul McCaugherty, 39, was flanked by two police officers as he appeared in Craigavon Magistrates Court, where he was ordered held without bail until his next court appearance on July 20. He was the fourth person to be charged following Monday's police raids and arrests targeting an alleged arms-smuggling plot by the Real IRA. The dissident group opposes the Northern Ireland peace process and the 1997 cease-fire being observed by most IRA members.  McCaugherty offered no plea and didn't speak during the hearing, but offered a thumbs-up sign to relatives and friends in the courtroom's public gallery.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA

3 Suspected IRA Dissidents Face Charges

23 June 2006
Associated Press Newswires

Three suspected Irish Republican Army dissidents, including a husband and wife, were arraigned Friday on charges of trying to smuggle weapons into Northern Ireland.

Desmond Kearns, 41, his wife Alison Kearns, 37, and Michael Gregory, 37, were ordered held without bail until their next court appearance July 28.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Portugal, Real IRA

3 Charged With Trying To Smuggle Arms Into N Ireland

23 June 2006
Dow Jones International News

Three suspected Irish Republican Army dissidents, including a husband and wife, were arraigned Friday on charges of trying to smuggle weapons into Northern Ireland.

Desmond Kearns, 41, his wife Alison Kearns, 37, and Michael Gregory, 37, were ordered held without bail until their next court appearance July 28.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Portugal, Real IRA

Husband and wife in court on weapon plot charges

23 June 2006
Press Association
Alan Erwin

A husband and wife were among three people who appeared in court today accused of an alleged international weapons plot by dissident republican terrorists. The conspiracy involved machine guns, explosives, and anti-tank weapons, it was claimed. Belfast Magistrates Court was also told the alleged plot stretched to Portugal.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Portugal, Real IRA

Trio in Belfast court accused of international weapons plot

23 June 2006
Agence France Presse

Three people close to a dissident republican paramilitary group in Northern Ireland were accused in court Friday of participating in an international weapons plot. Belfast Magistrates Court heard that the alleged conspiracy involved machine guns, explosives and anti-tank weapons, and stretched as far as Portugal and France. The three -- all remanded in custody -- were believed to be close to the Real IRA, a dissident group opposed to the peace process between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. They were among 10 people arrested Monday in a major police operation involving 200 officers.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Omagh, Portugal, Real IRA

3 suspected IRA dissidents charged with trying to smuggle arsenal into N. Ireland

23 June 2006
Associated Press Newswires

Three suspected Irish Republican Army dissidents, including a husband and wife, were arraigned Friday on charges of trying to smuggle weapons into Northern Ireland. Desmond Kearns, 41, his wife Alison Kearns, 37, and Michael Gregory, 37, were ordered held without bail until their next court appearance July 28.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Portugal, Real IRA