42-yr-old accused of directing terror
A MAN accused of plotting the activities of a dissident republican terror group was yesterday granted bail to go on holiday.
Carl Reilly, 42, of Pollard Street, West Belfast, is awaiting trial on charges of directing the activities of a terrorist organisation and professing to belong to the IRA.
The offences were allegedly committed between January 1, 2014, and October 17, 2015, at a hotel in Co Louth.
A prosecutor told Belfast Crown Court yesterday that Reilly had a “record with a relevant conviction” and had been on bail for a considerable period of time. He told Judge Neil Rafferty QC the case allegedly centered on a recording made at the Carrickdale Hotel between Reilly and co-accused Paul Philip Crawford.
Crawford, 43, of Warrenpoint, Co Down, is awaiting trial on a charge of belonging to the IRA.
The prosecutor added: “The Crown case is that the audio shows that this defendant is a high-ranking IRA member.
“He was talking about matters of future planning. This was a structured meeting. The lawyer told the court the prosecution and police did not know if the trip was “with a group of friends or with family”.
He said: “If it is friends, police would like to know who they are.
“There is a very real risk of reoffending.”
Defence barrister Dessie Benidorm and, right, Carl Reilly Hutton said: “It is a trip with his wife to Benidorm for three days.”
Judge Rafferty granted Reilly’s application but on condition he must inform police of the details of his flights and give details of the hotel. He must also provide information about who is travelling with him and surrender his passport 24 hours after returning to Northern Ireland.