Man remanded in custody on charge of murdering British spy Denis Donaldson

He was also charged with five other offences, including the attempted murder of a second man in 2007.

Antoin Duffy, in his 40s, of no fixed address, appeared before the non-jury Special Criminal Court on Monday afternoon after being extradited from Scotland.

He was charged with the murder of Mr Donaldson in Cloghercor, Doochary, Co Donegal, between April 3 and 4, 2006.

He was also charged with possession of a shotgun and ammunition "with intent to endanger life" at the same date and location.

Mr Donaldson, 55, was shot dead at a remote cottage near Glenties, months after he was exposed as a paid agent for Special Branch and MI5 since the 1980s.

In 2009, dissident republican group the Real IRA claimed the killing.

Mr Donaldson was also a former administrator for Sinn Fein's Stormont Assembly team.

Detective Garda Adrian Ahern told the court that he arrested Duffy at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Co Dublin , at 1.22pm on Monday after his extradition from Scotland on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

He said he later met Duffy at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, handed him a copy of the charge sheet and showed him an original copy.

The charges were also read out to him.

Duffy was also charged with the attempted murder of a man in November 2007 in Co Donegal , and with possession of a shotgun and ammunition on the date and location in question.

Appearing before judges James Faughnan , Patrick McGrath and Sarah Berkeley , he was remanded in custody before the next court appearance on April 13 where he is to appear in person.

He was also granted legal aid by the court.