Royal Marine commando Ciaran Maxwell will stand trial next year on terrorism charges

A Royal Marine from Northern Ireland will stand trial next year accused of terrorism, fraud and drugs offences.

Ciarán Maxwell is charged with making explosives and storing them in hides in England and in Larne, Co Antrim.

He appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from Belmarsh Prison today, September 19.

A trial date was set for February 27, 2017, with a plea hearing to be held on January 13.

Mr Maxwell – who now lives in England with his partner and their child – has previously pleaded not guilty to bank card fraud and intent to supply cannabis.

He has not yet been asked to enter a plea on the terrorism charge.

The 30-year-old was arrested in Somerset on August 24 following searches in Larne and Devon.

His arrest was understood to be connected to two arms dumps found in Larne this year.

It came after a long-running investigation involving the Security Service (MI5), the PSNI’s Terrorist Investigation Unit, South West Counter-Terrorism Unit and Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Unit.

Ciarán Maxwell: Charges in brief

• Count One involves the creation of a library of documents likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism
• It also relates to obtaining chemicals and components for making explosive substances
• It covers the possession of an adapted PSNI pass card and items of PSNI uniform
• It relates to manufacturing explosive substances and creating and maintaining hides to store bomb components in England and Northern Ireland

• Count Two relates to possession of cannabis with intent to supply
• Count Three is a fraud charge relating to bank cards.

Maxwell was remanded back into custody to the high security Belmarsh prison to await his trial.