Prominent members of the Irish Republic Socialist Party (IRSP) from Strabane were in court in Derry yesterday for the appearances of three Co Derry men charged with terrorist-related offences.
A police dog trained to detect explosives searched the area around the Bishop Street courthouse as well as cars parked outside the building before the arrival of the three defendants.
Jonathan Forrest (28) from Park, Patrick John McGowan (44), from Learmount Road, Claudy and Brian Conwell, (30), also from Park, are jointly charged with blackmail in that they made an unwarranted demand with menaces of £8,000 from a person identified as Witness A.
They are also jointly charged with funding for terrorism in that they invited another person to provide money or property for use in terrorism contrary to Section 15 (1) of the Terrorism Act 2000. Mr Conwell is also charged with threatening to kill Witness A.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between July 3rd of this year and last Friday.
The three defendants, who deny all the charges, were remanded in custody to appear before the same court via a video link on Thursday.
A member of the PSNI's organised crime unit told Resident Magistrate John Meehan that in answer to the two charges, Mr Forrest replied "no".
He said Mr McGowan replied when charged "not at this time" and to the funding charge he replied "the money had nothing to do with terrorism".
The police witness said Mr Conwell replied to the blackmail charge "I did not blackmail anyone" and to the fundraising charge "I do not lift money for any illegal organisation and I'm part of no illegal organisation".
The police officer said that in reply to the threat to kill charge, Mr Conwell replied "I never threatened to kill anyone, especially Witness A".