Larne man admits terror charge over dissident arms dump
- Published
Explosive ingredients were found buried in blue barrels in arms hides
A County Antrim man has admitted a charge linked to the discovery of dissident arms dumps in Larne.
Niall Lehd, 32, of Seahill Road in Larne, was charged with five offences after former Royal Marine Ciarán Maxwell alleged his involvement.
Maxwell, from Larne, had been arrested in England in 2016 after suspicious objects, including anti-personnel mines, were found in Capanagh Forest.
Maxwell was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2017.
He was described at the time as a dissident republican who infiltrated the British military.
He claimed his former schoolfriend Lehd was involved with the Larne arms dumps.
This had been denied by Lehd and a trial was due to commence at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday with Maxwell due to be called as a Crown witness.
However, just before the hearing was due to start, Lehd's lawyer asked that a charge of preparing terrorist acts be put to his client again.
Lehd pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in the preparation of terrorists acts between 1 January 2011 and 28 February 2013.
The charge relates to:
Manufacturing explosive substances
Constructing explosive devices
Creating and maintaining hides to store explosive substances, explosive devices, components for explosive devices, imitation firearm and ammunition, weapons, tools and resources used during the construction of explosive devices and other assorted items linked to the preparation of an act of terrorism
Purchasing or obtaining articles for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism specifically chemicals and components to be used in the manufacture of explosive substances and the construction of explosive devices
Conducting research resulting in the creation of a library of documents providing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism specifically information regarding the manufacture of explosive substances
After Lehd admitted this charge, a prosecution barrister said a decision had been made not to proceed with a further four charges of possessing explosives.
The prosecution barrister told the judge that in light of Lehd's plea, these four remaining counts were "to be left on the court books".
A plea hearing was set for June 16.
As no application for bail was made Lehd was remanded into custody.