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20/08/2004
Tohill freed as charges dropped
Dissident republican Bobby Tohill walked out of Belfast Magistrates Court a free man today after all the charges against him were dropped.
The 46-year-old from Bombay Street in Belfast claimed that the charges had been brought as he had declined to make a complaint against four men who allegedly kidnapped him earlier this year.
The charges relating to an alleged incident regarding Patrick Ward including threats to kill, possession of a gun or imitation firearm, and intent to cause grievous bodily harm were all dropped. The court heard that in an affidavit, Mr Ward had retracted statements made to police.
Mr Tohill speaking outside the court said that there had been an attempt to "stitch him up" and he was relieved that the truth had come out.
He said that his refusal to co-operate with an Independent Monitoring Commission over the alleged kidnap incident was because there had been no kidnap attempt in February last year.
In a bail application lodged by Mr Tohill's legal representation the incident was described as a "domestic" rather than a terrorist incident.
The trial of the four men accused of the alleged kidnapping attempt last year is due to begin in September.
The incident caused a political storm after PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde declared that the IRA had instigated the alleged kidnapping.
(SP)
The 46-year-old from Bombay Street in Belfast claimed that the charges had been brought as he had declined to make a complaint against four men who allegedly kidnapped him earlier this year.
The charges relating to an alleged incident regarding Patrick Ward including threats to kill, possession of a gun or imitation firearm, and intent to cause grievous bodily harm were all dropped. The court heard that in an affidavit, Mr Ward had retracted statements made to police.
Mr Tohill speaking outside the court said that there had been an attempt to "stitch him up" and he was relieved that the truth had come out.
He said that his refusal to co-operate with an Independent Monitoring Commission over the alleged kidnap incident was because there had been no kidnap attempt in February last year.
In a bail application lodged by Mr Tohill's legal representation the incident was described as a "domestic" rather than a terrorist incident.
The trial of the four men accused of the alleged kidnapping attempt last year is due to begin in September.
The incident caused a political storm after PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde declared that the IRA had instigated the alleged kidnapping.
(SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:The day will be very windy with strong to gale force westerly winds becoming occasionally severe along the north coast. Sunny spells will be interspersed with scattered showers. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:West to northwest gale force winds, severe along the north coast, will continue overnight. Frequent showers persist, merging into longer periods of rain at times and turning wintry. Minimum temperature 1 °C.
