Two Derrymen remanded in custody on firearms charges

Two men arrested in Derry earlier this week have appeared in court today. 24 year old Mark Kerr of Carrabane Walk and 44 year old Tony Taylor of Bishops Street were both charged with possesion of a .22 rifle with intent to endanger life on August 2nd.
They were both remanded in custody to appear in court again in September
Police said information reveived in relation to an IRA operation led them to stop a car that Kerr was driving on Tuesday night last. A .22 rifle was found in the boot.
Taylor was arrested nearby, and was in possession of packaging from the bag which the rifle was found in
The court was told that Kerr told police he was not a member of any organisation and was “just told to drive”.
Taylor claimed that the packaging had been thrown at him by the driver of a car that he had an altercation with. He told police he had stepped in front of a car, he and the driver had words, the packaging was thrown and he picked it up.
Police told the court they believe this was part of a conspiracy to mount attacks by dissident republicans.