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Seven charged over alleged dissident republican activity

The scene outside Lisburn Magistrates' Court this morning
The scene outside Lisburn Magistrates' Court this morning

Seven people have been charged as part of major investigations into alleged dissident republican activity in Northern Ireland.

Three of those charged are accused of directing terrorism, while four face charges relating to an alleged terrorist training camp near Omagh.

47-year-old Paul Duffy, of Ailsbury Gardens in Lurgan, Co Armagh, has been charged with directing terrorism for a dissident republican grouping.

He faces four other charges - along with his 42-year-old brother, Damien Duffy, of Campbell Walk, Lurgan, and his cousin, Shane Duffy, aged 41 from Kilwilkie Road in Lurgan.

The charges include conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, and collecting information likely to be of use to terrorism.

A solicitor for the defendants told the court the Duffy family believed they were being persecuted by police.

No application for bail was made and so all three were remanded in custody, to appear in court again on 8 June.

The men were accompanied to the courtroom by a large group of relatives, including the high-profile dissident republican, Colin Duffy.

Colin Duffy was acquitted of murdering two soldiers at Massereene Barracks in Antrim earlier this year.

Paul and Damien Duffy are his brothers. Shane Duffy is his cousin.

At a separate hearing in Omagh, four people have appeared in court charged with terrorism offences.

Sharon Rafferty from Cavana Linn in Pomeroy, Sean Kelly from Duneane Crescent in Toomebridge, Terence Aidan Coney of Malabhui Road in Omagh, and Gavin Coney from Gorticashel Road in Omagh, were each charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for committing acts of terrorism, possession of a firearm and ammunition, and attending a place used for terrorist training.

While Ms Rafferty and Mr Kelly were charged with directing activities of a terrorist organisation, with Mr Kelly facing a further charge of collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists.