A 25-year-old Derry man was remanded in custody when he appeared at a special sitting of the city's Magistrate's Court today charged with committing acts of terrorism in Syria.
Eamon Bradley was arrested on Thursday after he'd returned to his Melmore Gardens home in the Creggan Estate last Wednesday. He told detectives during two days of interviews that he went to Syria earlier this year and fought in three battles against ISIL and against the Assad regime.
He said the battles involved war planes, artillery, tanks and mortars but he denied firing any weapons.
The defendant was brought to the Bishop Street court building under armed police guard. He is charged with attending a terrorist weapons and explosives training camp in Syria, contrary to Section 54 (2) of the Terrorism Act.
He’s also charged with possessing a grenade in Syria with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, contrary to the Explosives Substances Act 1883. The defendant, who is alleged to have committed the offences between April 1st and October 28th of this year, made no reply to the two charges.
His mother Kathryn was in court for the remand hearing, after which she was allowed into the dock where she embraced and spoke to her son. Other members of the defendant’s family were outside the court building.
A detective sergeant from the PSNI’s Serious Crimes Branch told District Judge Barney McElholm that it was the first case of a Northern Ireland citizen returning from Syria and being charged under extra-territorial legislation with committing terrorist offences in Syria.
He said the police first searched the defendant’s home on July 3rd following media reports that he’d travelled to Syria after converting to Islam. He said as a result of police enquiries, it was established that the defendant had travelled from Dublin to Istanbul and then to a village near the Turkish-Syrian border on February 11th and only returned home on Wednesday.
During his interviews the officer said the defendant said he had become aware of the conflict in Syria and was determined to help the people there. He stayed in several border towns and villages for two months before crossing a river and entering Syria illegally.
He said he attended training camps under the control of Jaysh Al Islam, which means Army of Islam. At the camps he received weapons and explosives training and signed up to join the Mujahadeen.
“He said he was involved in three battles in Syria, two against the Baatha regime and one against ISIL and that during the battles he was armed with an AK47, a magazine of ammunition and a grenade. He said he did not use the weapons,” the police witness said.
“He said he became disillusioned and left the region and in order to do so he was facilitated in leaving by being given a Syrian passport. He then returned to Northern Ireland with the assistance of his mother,” the officer added.
The detective sergeant said he opposed the defendant being granted bail on the grounds that he would abscond and because there was a risk that he would re-offend. The officer said he also believed the defendant would attempt to radicalise young people here.
Applying for bail, defence solicitor Ciaran Harkin said the defendant had converted to Islam five years ago and had travelled to Syria to assist the Syrian people in the civil war. He said the defendant had no previous convictions and had answered all the questions put to him by the police. He said if refused bail the defendant could spend up to a year in custody awaiting any future trial.
The District Judge said the defendant said he had been “fighting against the tyrannical and murderous regime. This is the term which has been used by democratic leaders in the western world. He also says he was fighting against ISIL. No doubt the regime in Syria has committed gross atrocities and human rights violations throughout that conflict. I would find it very hard for a state to argue that fighting against ISIL is an act of terrorism.”
Mr McElholm said he was concerned as to why the defendant had not explained why he had returned to Northern Ireland and he also had to take into consideration police fears that he might try to radicalise young people here or abscond.
“With some reluctance I am going to refuse bail and he does have the right to apply for bail to the High Court,” he said.
The defendant was remanded in custody until he appears in court again for a video link hearing on December 4th.