Lurgan man facing terrorism charges accused of researching buying firearms and explosives on the internet

Damien Harte, from Wolf Island Terrace, Lurgan, is facing a number of charges including preparation of terrorist acts, possession of documents or records useful to terrorism and possession of articles for use in terrorism.

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None of the alleged facts around the case were shared at Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday, but on the court papers the defendant is accused of, on dates unknown between December 31, 2016 and October 31, 2017 ‘with the intention of committing acts of terrorism or assisting another to commit such acts’ attempted to buy a part of a revolver / firearm, carried out research on the internet into firearms and explosives, composed and possessed a document contrary to the Terrorism Act 2006.

He is further accused of possessing a document, namely a handwritten note referred to as the ''IKEA'' document, Exhibit BDP1, on October 30, 2017, which contained information of a kind likely to be useful to terrorism.

Harte faces a third charge of possessing an article on the same date, namely GP2, a handwritten speech, in circumstances which gave rise to a reasonable suspicion that the possession was for a purpose connected with terrorism.

A barrister for Harte told the court the defendant’s solicitor from Phoenix Law ‘has not been through the papers yet’ and asked for an adjournment of three weeks.

District Judge Bernie Kelly adjourned the case to October 18.