A factory manager at a major Northern Ireland bus builder that last week secured an order from Bus Éireann was charged today with being a loyalist terrorist.
Darren Leslie Richardson (30) of Randalstown, Co Antrim, was accused of being a member of the outlawed Ulster Volunteer Force when he appeared in court at Larne, Co Antrim.
He was further charged with the possession of documents likely to be of use to terrorists and possession of a quantity of ammunition at the Wrightbus plant at Galgorm outside Ballymena, Co Antrim, between a date unknown and April 11th.
A detective constable told the court that when he charged Richardson shortly after 2.00am this morning he had replied: "Definitely not guilty."
The magistrate remanded the accused in custody to appear at Ballymena Magistrates Court on May 3rd.
On Thursday last week the Minister for Transport Martin Cullen visited Wrightbus where he met the Rev Ian Paisley and announced the award of a contract worth £7.8 million for 48 buses for Bus Éireann.
He also placed an order for a prototype electric double decker bus for Dublin Bus.