Police at the scene of the attempt to murder a police officer with an undercar booby trap bomb in Eglinton in June last year
A DISSIDENT republican terror suspect accused of trying to murder a policeman in Derry with a car bomb will remain behind bars after a judge today overturned a decision to grant compassionate bail to allow him to attend his baby’s christening.
Sean McVeigh, 35 and from Victoria Street in Lurgan, faces charges of attempted murder and possessing explosives with intent to endanger life.
The alleged offences relate to the discovery of a bomb underneath a policeman’s car in Eglinton on June 18 last year.
A circumstantial case allegedly links McVeigh and two other men to the terrorist attack.
They were arrested by Gardai in a car near Ballybofey in Co Donegal several hours after the murder bid was foiled by the police woman who spotted a figure in her drive away who had planted a booby trap bomb under their car.
McVeigh and his two associates, who were also known to be dissident republican suspects, were arrested along the border near Ballybofey.
At the time, they were taken for questioning to both Letterkenny and Milford Garda stations.
The suspects were held under the Offences Against the State Act.
All three were later released pending a report to the Republic’s Director of Public Prosecutions.
Earlier this week, a District Judge granted compassionate bail for McVeigh to attend the christening service in Craigavon later this month.
But the prosecution appealed this decision to the High Court saying he might flee the jurisdiction.
A senior High Court judge agreed stating saying he too was concerned about a risk of flight if McVeigh was released.
“I’m going to allow the appeal and refuse compassionate bail – which I don’t do lightly,” said Mr Justice Burgess.
McVeigh was arrested in Portadown earlier this year by detectives from the PSNI’s Terrorist Investigation Unit which was probing the Eglinton murder bid.
He is currently on remand in Maghaberry prison awaiting a committal hearing on the charges at Derry Magistrates’ Court.