Two men were charged in Belfast yesterday in connection with the recent spate of letter bombs sent to unionist and loyalist politicians. Mr Sean Green (33), of no fixed address, and Mr Geroid Maguaid (34), of Springfield Road, Belfast, were accused of conspiring together and with others to cause an explosion likely to endanger life.
Mr Green was also charged with possessing explosive substances and Mr Maguaid with collecting information about political representatives, MPs and others which could be useful to terrorists. A detective inspector said Mr Green strenuously denied the charges and Mr Maguaid said he did not accept that he collected information or conspired to cause an explosion.
Both defendants were remanded in custody to appear at the Maze Court on December 3rd. No one was injured in the letter bombings, which were claimed by a group calling itself the Revolutionary Republican Strike Force.
The campaign began last September when a device was sent to the office of the UK Unionist MP, Mr Robert McCartney.