Pair charged over alleged New IRA activity after PSNI data breach

Two men have appeared in court charged with terrorism offences linked to a major PSNI data breach.

Brian Francis Cavlan, 49, from Coronation Park, Aughnacloy and Rory Martin Logan, 43, with an address given as HMP Maghaberry, appeared before court on Thursday.

They were arrested on Tuesday as part of an ongoing police investigation into the activities of the New IRA.

They are accused of having information likely to be of use to terrorists.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer said he could connect both to the charges.

A spreadsheet containing police officers' names, and those of civilian staff, were found on mobile phones belonging to the accused, the court was told.

The pair appeared together in the dock of Strabane Magistrates' Court but refused to acknowledge the proceedings.

It is alleged on 12 April 2024, Mr Calvan possessed two spreadsheets containing details of serving PSNI police officers and staff members.

The officer told the court that Mr Cavlan had screenshots of certain parts of the spreadsheet.

Under questioning from a defence lawyer, he agreed that there was no evidence that Mr Cavlan had downloaded the spreadsheet from the source.

And he agreed the spreadsheet had been shared " a considerable amount of times."

Mr Logan is charged with having a spreadsheet of serving PSNI officers and staff on 11June 2024. He did not apply for bail.

Mr Cavlan was denied bail due, the judge said, to "real and evident" risks of reoffending, and concerns that bail conditions could not be managed.

The data breach happened in August, when police released the names of more than 10,000 staff and officers by mistake, under a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

Both men will appear again by video link at Omagh Magistrates' Court on 25 February.