Image caption Eamon Bradley, 28, denies the three charges

A Londonderry man accused of terrorist offences in Syria could strip an AK47 assault rifle, a court has heard.

Eamon Bradley, 28, of Benview Estate, Coshquin, has pleaded not guilty to three charges.

They include attending a training camp and receiving instructions or training in the use of firearms and explosives.

Londonderry Crown Court, sitting in Omagh, heard details of claims Mr Bradley made in police interviews.

Training camp

The jury was told that, after two months in Turkey trying to find a way into Syria, Mr Bradley had crossed a river with some other men and had been taken to a training camp, or "moskur" in Arabic.

He said he had signed some forms and had his photograph taken, that he had signed a letter in Arabic, which he understood to mean that he would co-operate, and that he was now a "mujahid", a fighter.

He also said he had known he was going to oppose the Assad regime.

The jury heard how he had told detectives he could take an AK47 assault rifle apart and put it back together, but he could not use a mortar.

When asked if he had fired the AK47 he had admitted receiving training in, or used the grenade he had been instructed in the use of, he replied, "no".

Battles

Mr Bradley said that, after taking part in three battles, he began to think he should go home.

In police interviews, he said this was because he had become disillusioned - that he "maybe wasn't as happy as he thought he would be".

The Derry man was given a Syrian passport so he could get back into Turkey, and his mother booked a flight for him from Istanbul to Dublin.

The jury was shown photos removed during searches of Mr Bradley's mother's home. They purported to show Mr Bradley with munitions and in the back of what he described as a tank.

The trial will continue on Monday.