Man charged with possession of explosive after car intercepted near Irish border

A 44-year-old Dubliner has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged in relation to a suspected dissident republican bomb intercepted in a car near the Irish border.Simon O’Donovan, 44, with an address at Sperrin Road in Drimnagh, appeared before a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on Saturday evening.Detective Sergeant Shane Noone told the court that he arrested Mr O’Donovan at 5.07pm on Friday and informed him he would be charged with possession of explosives at St Laurence’s Road in Chapelizod on Wednesday July 22.Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, said he had not taken instruction from O’Donovan as he was observing the strike over changes to criminal legal aid fees and was only appearing in court out of courtesy.O’Donovan told Judge Patrick McGrath that he has “no representation at all”, and had asked for “the services of this gentleman beside me”, referring to Mr Mackin.The court rose briefly so that O’Donovan could confer with Mr Mackin on an application for bail.Simon O’Donovan appeared before a sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)PA WireWhen it returned, Mr O’Donovan said he was looking to represent himself in a bail hearing before the High Court.The three-judge Special Criminal Court remanded him in custody until Monday and rose.Judge McGrath then returned for a sitting of the High Court to hear O’Donovan’s bail application, which was refused after objections were raised by gardaí.A vehicle travelling on the N2 near Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, on Wednesday afternoon was stopped and searched by detectives in an intelligence-led swoop.Law student Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, of Abbeylands Park in Clane, Co Kildare, appeared before a district court on Friday charged with possession of explosives.Her solicitor Gavin Booth of Phoenix Law said she had been asked to take a bag to the north, and had not been aware what was in it.Read MorePerrie Sullivan was granted bail but remains in custody ahead of a further bail hearing on Monday.