Belfast businessman to stand trial for alleged involvement in Coveney bomb threat

Simon Coveney told of bomb threat.
Mr Coveney, the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister at the time, was attending the Houben Centre to give a speech but had to evacuate the venue due to the fake bomb alert

A Belfast businessman is to stand trial for alleged involvement in a terrorist bomb hoax targeting Irish Minister Simon Coveney, a judge ordered on Thursday.

Darren Service, 42, is accused of driving gunmen to the scene of a hijacking in the city linked to loyalist paramilitary opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

In March last year a workman was threatened and forced to transport a suspected device in his van to a peace-building on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast.

Mr Coveney, the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister at the time, was attending the Houben Centre to give a speech but had to evacuate the venue due to the fake bomb alert. 

Based on disputed CCTV evidence, prosecutors claim Service escorted the two gunmen to the location where the workman was first threatened.  

The defendant, of Ballysillan Road in the city, remains in custody on charges of preparation of terrorist acts, hijacking and placing an article causing a bomb hoax in the vicinity of the Houben Centre at Holy Cross Church.

Service, who owns three gym businesses, appeared remotely at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for a preliminary enquiry into the strength of the allegations.

During the brief hearing he confirmed that he understood the allegations but declined to give evidence or call any witnesses at this stage.

Defence counsel Joseph O’Keeffe did not contest submissions that there is a prima facie case against his client.

Granting the prosecution’s application, District Judge Anne Marshall told Service: “You will be returned for trial at Belfast Crown Court.

“Your solicitor will let you know the date for your arraignment in due course.”

With no application for bail, Service was remanded in custody until his next court appearance.