'Real IRA'men come to court

Three alleged members of the Real IRA, accused of trying to buy weapons and bomb-making equipment from Slovakia, appeared handcuffed at the Old Bailey today.

Finton O'Farrell, 35, Declan Rafferty, 41, and Michael McDonald, 44, all from Co Louth, Eire, are charged with six offences under the Terrorism Act and the Criminal Law Act.

Armed police and marksmen surrounded the building and every one going in and out of the high-security Number Two Court was scanned.

The Recorder of London Judge Michael Hyam set the date of the trial, which is expected to last for six to eight weeks, for 9 April. A further hearing will take place on 10 December for pleas to be taken.

At an earlier Old Bailey appearance by the defendants, Simon Denison, prosecuting, told the judge that the men were arrested in Piest'an, Slovakia on 5 July.

After extradition proceedings they were brought back to this country on 30 August.