Legal applications to have the cases against 10 people accused of dissident terrorist offences dismissed have been launched at Belfast Crown Court.
Barristers acting on behalf of the eight men and two women have all launched 'no bill' applications on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence against all the defendants to proceed to trial.
The 10 defendants are Joseph Patrick Barr (36) from Cecilias Walk in Derry; Issam Bassalat (66) from Telford Road in Edinburgh; Amanda Duffy (53) from Ailsbury Gardens in Lurgan; Gary Joseph Hayden (52) from Tyrconnell Street in Derry; David Jordan (52) from Castlecaulfield Road in Dungannon; Sharon Jordan (49) from Cappagh Road in Dungannon; Patrick John McDaid (54) whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry; Damien Joseph McLaughlin (47) from Kilmascally Road in Dungannon; Kevin Barry Murphy (53) from Altowen Park in Coalisland and Shea Reynolds (30) from Belvedere Manor in Lurgan.
The charges against all 10 accused - which include directing a terrorist organisation, belonging to a proscribed organisation and possessing articles for use in terrorist - arise from a covert intelligence operation regarding the activities of the New IRA.
As part of 'Operation Arbacia', the security forces recorded two meetings which were held at two properties in Co Tyrone - one in February 2020 and the second in July 2020.
Launching a 'no bill' application on behalf of his client Amanda Duffy, who is facing seven counts, defence barrister Joseph O'Keefe told Mr Justice Fowler that the height of the Crown's case was based on the content of the covert recordings.
Branding this evidence as "insufficient in quite a glaring way", Mr O'Keefe said the attribution of speech on these recordings relies solely on an expert witness whose evidence has been excluded in two Crown court trials.
Des Fahy KC, who is representing David Jordan, also raised the issue of insufficient evidence against his client and said that in this case “evidence has been replaced by mere suspicion”.
Patrick McDaid's barrister Joe Brolly spoke of the involvement of state agent who he said was instrumental in setting up the meetings.
McDaid is facing charges arising from attending the second meeting in July 2020 in a house which Mr Brolly described as a “recording studio”.
Branding the conversation recorded on that date as mostly “Republican pub talk”, Mr Brolly claimed “no plans were hatched, no plans of terrorism were prepared”.
Barristers for the other defendants also argued there wasn’t enough evidence to substantiate the charges against their clients.
This included Brenda Campbell KC, who is representing Issam Bassalat.
Describing her client as a man of good character and an NHS doctor, Ms Campbell said he was invited to attend the second meeting “by a person who it would appear is an agent of the state”.
She added that her client - who is from Palestine and has spoken at various conferences about the political situation in his homeland - had done nothing nefarious to attract the charges he faces.
The hearing is due to resume on Wednesday.