A Northern Ireland man charged with possessing weapons and explosives while in Syria told police he was involved in battles against both Islamic State (Isis) and the Assad regime, a court has heard.
Eamon Bradley from Derry was also accused of possessing a grenade in the war-torn Middle Eastern country, the city’s magistrates court was told on Saturday.
The 25-year-old from the Creggan district of Derry was arrested at his home by detectives on Thursday.
Bradley is alleged to have committed the offences in Syria between April and October this year. He spoke only to confirm his identity and to say that he understood the charges against him.
A lawyer for Bradley has argued that his client had come from home Syria disillusioned and was no threat to the public.
His solicitor said Bradley had travelled to the Middle East to help the Syrian people and he had taken part in battles against the forces of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Isis. But he said Bradley denies ever firing a weapon or using an explosive device.
But a detective from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s serious crime branch told the court that Bradley had entered and exited Syria illegally and had admitted receiving weapons training.
The PSNI officer stated that Bradley told them he had signed up to become a jihadi but came home after becoming disillusioned with events in Syria.
A district judge at Derry magistrates court refused an application for bail. The judge said he would oppose bail because Bradley might flee the jurisdiction and return to Syria, or may use his alleged expertise in weapons and explosives training here in the UK.
