Northern Ireland

Adrian Ismay murder trial: 'Minute' traces of military explosive uncovered from car allegedly used by bombers

 Christopher Robinson is on trial at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay
 Christopher Robinson is on trial at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay  Christopher Robinson is on trial at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay

'Minute' traces of the military explosive RDX were uncovered from the Citroen C3 car allegedly used by the bombers who planted a booby-trap device under the van of prison officer Adrian Ismay.

However, the non-jury trial of Christopher Alphonsos Robinson, who denies murder and supplying the car, also heard that the "secondary or tertiary" traces were so small they could have been three times removed from any explosives.

A senior scentific forensics officer said that he recovered less than 40 nanograms of explosive traces from swabs taken from the rear floor of the red Citroen and from the rear seat and a rear child seat. 

The forensic expert said the discovery "provides weak support" for the RDX explosive being in contact with the rear of the car.

He also explained that the low-level traces could have been transferred from a person, clothing, bag or container that the explosive, which is not available commercially, had been in direct contact with.

Under cross-examination from defence QC Arthur Harvey, the scentific officer also agreed the traces "are so minute it was unlikely there was direct contact with the RDX" and that they could have come from "an individual having shaken hands with someone who had shaken hands with someone else who has been in contact with the explosives".

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The trial of of 48-year-old Robinson, from Aspen Park, Poleglass in west Belfast, has already heard that his sister-in-law's red C3 car was allegedly captured on CCTV near the Hillsborough Drive home in east Belfast of the prison warder.

The prosecution claim that it was used by the bombers.

A device exploded without warning under the VW van of Mr Ismay (52) as he was driving to work at Hydebank prison in March 2016.

Although he initially he survived the blast, he died 11 days later from a massive heart attack which the prosecution say resulted from his injuries.

At hearing.