Conspiracy-theorist network possibly behind attacks on 5G masts, court told

Two brothers are allegedly linked to a wider “network of conspiracy theorists” setting fire to 5G masts in West Belfast, the High Court heard on Monday.

Prosecutors also revealed the total cost of damage from the attacks is now believed to be much higher than an initial estimate of £4 million (€4.6 million).

Details emerged as Michael Clarke (45) was refused bail on two charges of arson related to the suspected campaign.

Mr Clarke, of Monagh Road in the city, is accused of targeting 5G masts at the Park Centre and in the Owenvarragh area in June 2023.

He is allegedly connected by DNA evidence and by CCTV footage of two men approaching the Owenvarragh site, one of whom was carrying a sports bag.

Forensic tests on the bag recovered from the scene obtained potential profiles for up to three individuals.

Mr Clarke was arrested earlier this month amid searches at his home, where police recovered petrol cans and literature about alleged dangers posed by 5G masts.

His 44-year-old brother Darren Clarke, of no fixed abode, remains in custody charged with one count of arson at another installation in the Whiterock Road area on September 7th this year.

Crown counsel Gosia Hackiewicz claimed material discovered on a seized phone indicated potential involvement in other incidents in the area.

“It is in relation to both [brothers], we believe they act together,” she said.

The court heard 23 attacks on 5G masts in West Belfast have been reported since 2023, with nine of them targeted over the past four months.

Ms Hackiewicz set out how those behind the wider campaign are believed to have used social media platforms and chat rooms to communicate.

“It remains the police assessment that these attacks are not the work of a single individual, but are being carried out by a number of individuals as part of a network, or possibly acting independently but united by shared conspiracy-driven beliefs,” the barrister submitted.

“While we had initially placed a value of £4 million on the potential cost of the damage, we have since been informed that this is a conservative figure.”

Opposing Michael Clarke’s application for bail, she argued that the financial impact of the attacks was compounded by the significant social and economic consequences for the West Belfast area.

“High levels of the local community are experiencing difficulties with access to provision of healthcare services; businesses that rely on phone signals are struggling to operate as normal, and those working from home are experiencing difficulties undertaking regular tasks,” Ms Hackiewicz added.

Turlough Madden, defending, disputed the strength of DNA evidence from a bag he described as a “movable object”, also featuring profiles for other unidentified individuals.

Highlighting the two-year gap between the June 2023 attacks and his client’s detention, Mr Madden argued: “It’s not illegal to have material on 5G masts… this is a considerably weak prosecution case.”

But Mr Justice McLaughlin ruled that Michael Clarke must remain in custody.

Denying bail, he stated: “The offences have some degree of notoriety, there’s been a large spate of these types of attacks in and around the same area which appear to have increased in recent months.

“At the present time there remains an unacceptable risk of reoffending.”