A round-up of other news in brief...
Police murder suspect is freed on bail
A pensioner being questioned about the murder of a policeman in Northern Ireland 32 years ago was released on bail last night. The 72-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in connection with the killing of 49-year-old RUC Det Sgt Joe Campbell, a Catholic, outside a police station in Cushendall, Co Antrim, in February 1977.
The development in the unsolved case came a week after officers from the Police Ombudsman’s Office revealed they had unearthed a fresh lead. Ombudsman Al Hutchinson is re-examining the incident after complaints alleging police involvement in the shooting of the Co Donegal father-of-eight.
Bail refused for kidnap accused
A 53-year-old Dublin man arrested in connection with the so-called tiger kidnap of a Galway businessman and his family, has failed to get bail.
Thomas Freeman (53), Deansrath Grove, Clondalkin, Dublin made an application at Harristown District Court in Castlerea yesterday. He is one of three Dublin men charged with the false imprisonment of Julien Flynn and his wife Emma at their home at Lackagh, Co Galway on February 15th.
They are also charged with the robbery of €3,000 from Mr Flynn.
Det Garda Willie Beirne told Judge Elizabeth McGrath bail was being opposed because of the seriousness of the offence and the weight of the evidence. Mr Freeman was remanded in custody to Harristown District Court on March 20th.
Another co-accused, Gregory Kelly (24), Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, made a brief appearance before the same court and was remanded in custody by consent to Harristown on March 20th.
A third accused, Michael McCormack (42), Ballbrook Close, Tallaght, was released on bail from Castlerea Prison yesterday after his father, James Eamon McCormack, was accepted as a bail person.
Gardaí seek help in finding woman
Gardaí in Co Meath are seeking help from the public in locating a woman who has been missing from her home in Navan since last Tuesday.
Margaret Mawhinney (53) is described as being 5ft 1in tall, with short brown hair and glasses, and was wearing grey trousers, a black jacket and dark head scarf when last seen.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Navan Garda station on 046 907 9930.
Gardaí discover explosive device
An Army bomb disposal team made safe a viable improvised explosive device (IED) at Rathcoole, Co Dublin yesterday afternoon.
The device was discovered during the planned search of a house by gardaí.
The device contained explosive content. The remains of the device were taken away for detailed examination and will be handed over to gardaí for further investigation into the incident.
Murder suspect released
Gardaí have released a 20-year-old man who was arrested earlier this week in connection with the murder of Tallaght man Stephen O’Halloran last January.
Two other men, aged 18 and 19, remain in custody.
Mr O’Halloran was shot in the head as he sat in the driver’s seat of a car outside his mother and stepfather’s home in Kilmartin Drive, on the night of Monday, January 19th.
Two men, both believed to have been armed with 9mm handguns, walked up to the car and fired a volley of rounds into it.
Mr OHalloran died at the scene.
Two other men who were in the car at the time tried to run from the gunmen but as they fled they were shot in the upper body.
Gardaí said a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Two other two men remain in custody.