Violence which flared in Derry on Easter Monday is believed to have been orchestrated by the New IRA to prevent police from investigating a dissident republican parade, a court has heard.
Thomas Joseph Moore (55), from Farren Park in Derry, appeared before the city’s magistrates’ court on Thursday charged with offences under the Terrorism Act. He is accused of managing a meeting in support of the IRA.
Mr Moore’s solicitor, Derwin Harvey, told the court his client was at the parade in a “professional capacity” providing security. He said the accused had provided security at numerous events in the city, including a visit by former US president Bill Clinton.
Mr Moore was further charged with aiding and abetting unknown persons in wearing paramilitary clothing in support of a proscribed organisation, and aiding and abetting unknown persons in failing to comply with conditions imposed by the Parades Commission.
Death of Pope Francis: Derek Mooney leads RTÉ’s coverage to intermittently jaw-dropping effect
Plans unveiled for south Dublin winter sports arena to host State’s first ice hockey franchise
Xi Jinping’s refusal to kowtow to Trump now looks like a shrewd move
Brace yourself as world’s leaders make holy show of themselves at Pope’s funeral
The annual Easter Rising parade in Derry involved a colour party of people carrying flags and wearing paramilitary-style uniforms with their faces covered. It started in the Creggan estate and concluded with speeches at Free Derry corner in the Bogside area.
A crowd of mostly young people threw petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles stationed close to the city’s historic walls overlooking the Bogside.
Mr Moore told the court he understood the charges and a PSNI detective inspector said he could connect the accused to the offences.
The officer said the Derry parade was an annual event which “traditionally results in significant public disorder”.
He said a number of the participants were masked and observed to be wearing paramilitary-style uniform and this was “a direct failure to comply” with a condition set by the Parades Commission.
[ Nine PSNI officers injured over weekend in Derry and StrabaneOpens in new window ]
The officer said Mr Moore was identified by an air support unit directing a group of masked men to the parade starting point.
“There were several outbursts of public disorder, with petrol bombs being thrown at police by youths,” he said.
“One petrol bomb struck a building that needed to be extinguished by police.
“It is assessed that this is highly likely to have been orchestrated by the New IRA to prevent police from disrupting the now illegal parade.”
The officer said 50 fireworks and 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police and some local roads had to be closed.
The detective inspector told the court that at the end of the parade Mr Moore was observed walking to a gazebo.
“The only purpose of this gazebo appears to be to facilitate the changing of clothes by the masked and uniformed parade members,” he said.
“At that stage police believe young people were shamelessly and deliberately used to distract police from that area and distract police from gaining evidence of people changing out of their parade clothing.”
The officer said police believe Mr Moore had an “active role” in the parade and objected to bail on the grounds of potential witness interference.
Mr Harvey said his client had worked in the security business for 35 years and had stewarded many events in the city.
He told the court Mr Moore was named as a steward for the parade in the application submitted to the Parades Commission. He said the message had been conveyed to those who were at the parade that the event was legal, stating his client was there in a “professional capacity”.
The lawyer said he had spoken to the individual who had made the application to the Parades Commission and it was his understanding that participants would be allowed to “stage a re-enactment from the 1970s” as part of the event.
District Judge Brian Archer said he would grant bail, with a prosecution lawyer saying that decision would be appealed to the High Court in Belfast. The case was adjourned until May 22nd.
