27 July 2012 Last updated at 08:15 ET

Derry man 'active and prominent member' of RAAD

RAAD has claimed responsibility for more than 30 shootings and one murder in the north west

A 26-year-old man, suspected of being an "active and prominent" member of the paramilitary organisation Republican Action Against Drugs, has appeared at Londonderry Magistrates Court.

William Martin McDonnell, from Rinmore Drive in Creggan, handed himself into Strand Road Police Station on Wednesday.

He is charged with having articles for use in acts of terrorism.

They were allegedly found in his home on 12 July.

They included a Glock hand gun, five camouflage or paramilitary-style uniforms, balaclavas, a mobile phone, a 2-way radio, four replica AK 47 rifles, a de-activated AK47 rifle, a blank firing revolver and a blank Glock hand-gun.

He was also charged with having an adapted blank firing Glock handgun with intent to endanger life and with having a firearm in suspicious circumstances.

Friends of Andrew Allen, who was murdered in a shooting claimed by RAAD at Lisfannan in County Donegal last February, clapped and cheered in the court when the defendant was refused bail.

The court was told that in the last four years, RAAD had claimed responsibility for more than 30 shootings and one murder in the north west.

A police officer told the judge that one of the weapons found in the defendant's house was consistent with adapted firearms used in RAAD shootings.

'Handed himself in'

A detective constable said during his first police interview the defendant provided a prepared statement.

He said he lived at Rinmore Drive and the items found in the house belonged to him.

He said he was a collector of clothing associated with outdoor activities and he frequently loaned them out or sold them at Halloween and to "doggy men".

In the prepared statement the defendant said he collected replica firearms as a hobby and they had never been used for illegal activities.

The officer said that on Wednesday and Thursday this week, the police tried to get the defendant to elaborate on his prepared statement but he did not speak to them for two days.

There were, as yet, no civilian witnesses in the case, the officer added, but said police witnesses had positively identified the defendant as one of the two men seen running from the house at Rinmore Drive when the police arrived.

The officer said he believed that if released on bail, the defendant would re-engage with suspected associates in RAAD.

He said the organisation created fear in the local community and said some of the items found in the defendant's home were similar to items used in what he called RAAD shows-of-strength.

The officer said the continuing investigation was both protracted and complex and he believed that, if granted bail, the defendant would re-offend, interfere with witnesses or abscond.

He said forensic examination of the items found in the defendant's home still had to be tested for DNA and finger-print recovery.

Refusing bail, the district judge said the defendant's explanations in his prepared statement were neither credible nor sustainable and it was clear he had a prima facie case to answer.