The Five Demands

DNA ‘link’ to courthouse bomb (UTV)
Bishop Street Courthouse in Londonderry has heard that DNA evidence links a man facing explosives charges to a car-bomb attack on the courthouse last March.
More than 100lbs of explosives were found in a beer keg left in a green Vauxhall Astra, which had been stolen in the city the day before and abandoned in the car park opposite the court building.
Eamon Cassidy, 49-year-old and with an address care of Maghaberry Prison, was arrested on Monday and stands accused of possession of explosives with intent to endanger life or property.
The court heard on Tuesday that the explosive substances included RDX and PETN and ammonium nitrate fertiliser – a detective sergeant said she believed she could connect Cassidy to the charges.
She added that there was DNA evidence that police believed could link him to the bomb attack.
At the time, police said the device would have caused considerable damage if it had gone off and that lives could have been lost.
Several controlled explosions had to be carried out to make it safe.
The alarm had been raised when coded bomb warnings were received, giving local residents – including pensioners from a nearby residential home – less than 45 minutes to evacuate.
The court heard that, when police examined the bomb, they recovered an intact power unit, a booster tube and a detonator.
Cassidy was remanded in custody.