Derry Saoradh chairman Joe Barr (front centre) remanded in custody on IRA terrorist offences
Barr (33), from St Cecilia’s Walk in the city, was ordered out of the separated republican prison wing Roe House and is “no longer welcome”.
The leadership of the New IRA in Roe House booted him out after he told a High Court judge he had disavowed violence
He is one of 10 people charged following a joint PSNI/MI5 operation into alleged paramilitary activity.
The co-accused are David Jordan, Sharon Jordan, and Damien Joseph McLaughlin from Dungannon; Kevin Murphy from Coalisland, Isaam Bassalat from Edinburgh, Amanda McCabe and Shea Reynolds from Lurgan and Patrick McDaid, Joseph Barr and Gary Hayden from Derry.
They face similar offences of IRA membership and directing terrorist activity.
He is also charged with further offences linked to the filming of a documentary by MTV.
They include taking part in a riot and possession of a petrol bomb.
Covert recordings captured discussions on the IRA executive, recruitment, weaponry, an economic bombing campaign, close-quarter shootings of police officers and cyber-attacks.
During an unsuccessful High Court bail application last week, Barr stated, “armed struggle is counterproductive”.
Following this he was required to be escorted from Roe House to a regular wing.
The Irish News reports that defence lawyers mounted a further bail application before Dungannon Magistrates Court last week which was part-heard and adjourned until Monday.
They described the disavowal as “a seismic development”.
In respect of the High Court hearing last week, the prosecution pointed out Barr, “did not give evidence. He gave unsworn responses to questions…He was then moved from Roe House.
“This sequence of events displays a man who will bend as the wind blows when he sees advantage for himself. It is not known whether his expressions are sincere.
“There is a real risk he isn’t. Even if he was, he changes his mind at the drop of a hat.”
If Barr is genuine, said the prosecution, “it’s too late to ameliorate risk. To suggest we take his word as sincere is utter nonsense. Many years would need to pass before we would know if he is sincere and turned his back on violence.”
Refusing bail, District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “The defendant for whatever reason is no longer a separated prisoner.
“I have real concerns to the weight I can attach to the disavowal. It could contain the possibility of contrivance.”
Two of Barr’s co-accused, Paddy McDaid and Issam Bassalat, were granted bail in recent weeks.
McDaid was freed last month on £50,000 bail when he told a court that he did not “advocate violence”.
Dr Bassalat was granted bail after suffering a second heart attack behind bars during his 15 months in custody.
The ten were arrested after Saoradh executive member and MI5 agent Dennis McFadden rented the houses for the New IRA meetings in Co Tyrone.
MI5 agent Denis ‘The Rat’ McFadden
McFadden – dubbed ‘The Rat’ by dissident republicans – is now in protective custody and living somewhere in mainland Britain with his partner and their child under a new identity.
He is not being called to give evidence at the trial of the eight men and two women on New IRA terror charges which is expected to take place in late 2022 or early 2023.
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