First photo of teenager charged with dissident bomb making.
Pretty Orla O’Hanlon is one two teenagers accused of making bombs for dissident terrorists.
The alleged gymslip bomb-maker is charged along with fellow teenager Keith McConnan 19, in connection with the discovery of a bomb making factory in south Armagh last year.
Last week she was refused Legal Aid after a heated courtroom argument between the judge and her defence counsel at Newry magistrate’s court.
O’Hanlon 18, of Tievecrom Road, Forkhill and Dundalk man McConnan are accused of making and possessing explosives with intent to endanger life or property between December 15 and December 18 last year.
O’Hanlon had been released last month on High Court bail of £25,500 with a £500 cash sum and the deeds to her father’s house being handed in to the court by way of surety.
The accused teenager, who was only two when the Good Friday Agreement was signed, has also been ordered to hand over all her travel documents and must sign in three times at a week at a PSNI station. She was also ordered not to be in contact with co-accused McConnan or a businessman named in court as ‘Oliver Treanor’.
District judge Bernie Kelly declined a Legal Aid application as the defendant lived under her parents’ roof and therefore regarded them as providing financial support for her. Counsel for O’Hanlon reacted angrily: “Am I now being asked to do this for nothing?” he exclaimed. O’Hanlon, who has changed her hair colour to brunette, was not in court. The pair were arrested at a house on Tievecrom Road on Wednesday, December 18 under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act.
At a previous hearing a detective constable from the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch told district judge Eamonn King that he could connect the two teenagers to the charges.
He told the court that in a walk-in wardrobe in a bedroom officers found a timer power unit and ancillary items for the timer power unit.
”This would enable a bomb to be placed which could delay the detonation for several days.''
The detective added that in a bin a white substance was discovered which was forensically tested and found to be ammonium nitrate which he said is used for “home made explosives”.
O’Hanlon spoke openly about her family and home life during police interviews but refused to comment on anything further apart from to claim the industrial coffee grinder was used to grind down flour.
Orla is innocent leave her out of this abe. She has done nothing wrong I'm sick of reading these ugly slurs.
'So I say, “Live and let live.” That’s my motto. “Live and let live.” Anyone who can’t go along with that, take him outside and shoot the motherfucker. It’s a simple philosophy, but it’s always worked in our family.'
