He allegedly had quantities of potassium permanganate, sulphur, black powder, 100 blank cartridges, ball bearings and other component parts of improvised devices
Belfast High Court(Image: Google Streetview)
A man accused of storing explosives in his south Belfast home is not ideologically driven or linked to terrorism, the High Court heard on Thursday.
Dangerous chemicals and an improvised grenade were discovered during a major security alert at Radoslaw Kuc’s terraced house on Empire Street last year, prosecutors said. But a judge was told psychiatric assessments have confirmed the 51-year-old suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
“There is no evidence that he’s involved with any terrorist-type organisation,” Madam Justice McBride accepted.
“It doesn’t look as if he is part of a wider network, it doesn’t look as if it was ideologically driven.”
Kuc faces a charge of possessing explosives in suspicious circumstances in connection with seizures made on January 29, 2025. He allegedly had quantities of potassium permanganate, sulphur, black powder, 100 blank cartridges, ball bearings and other component parts of improvised devices.
Crown counsel Mark O’Connor told the court that a number of laptops and mobile phones were also confiscated from the defendant’s home.
“In the property he had a diagram which he claimed was for a laser for a drone,” the barrister added.
Other residents in the Empire Street area had to be evacuated from their homes for nearly 12 hours during the search operation at Kuc’s house.
Police later confirmed that an improvised grenade was removed and made safe.
Opposing the defendant’s bid to be released on bail, Mr O’Connor cited potential hostility towards Kuc from others in the area who know he is a foreign national.
He also submitted: “There are concerns that an alcoholic paranoid schizophrenic with access to dangerous chemicals causes a risk of re-offending.”
With the Empire Street address regarded as unsafe for Kuc to return to, his lawyers indicated there are currently no friends or family he could stay with.
Barrister Turlough Madden argued the psychiatric assessments have shown his mental health is currently stable. Adjourning the application, Madam Justice McBride stressed that alternative accommodation must be found outside the area.
“My concern is that alcohol with paranoid schizophrenia is a very dangerous mix,” she said.
“The alleged offending causes some concern, (and) living in that community where he feels maybe there are people opposed to him.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
