A man appeared in court today in connection with a £10,000 loyalist paramilitary extortion racket against a Chinese businessman in Belfast.
Mr Brian Gould (35) was accused of demanding cash with menaces and collecting money for terrorist purposes.
Earlier this week two other men were remanded in custody accused of trying to threaten the victim, who owns businesses in south Belfast, into paying them £10,000 sterling.
Detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Squad have linked the extortion operation to the Ulster Volunteer Force.
Mr Gould, an unemployed man from Pine Way, Belfast, was accused of demanding a total of £480 some time between December last year and May 16th and of trying to get the money for terrorist activities.
He replied "no" and "did not" when both charges were put to him, the city's magistrates' court heard today.
A detective constable said she believed she would connect him with the offences, and he was remanded in custody to appear again on June 19th by a video link.
PA