12 March 1998 Edition
Róisín campaign victory
After sixteen months during which she suffered brutal interrogation, transfer to an all-male prison in England, the birth of her daughter and a post-traumatic breakdown, Roisín McAliskey finally had the threat of extradition to Germany lifted this week. British Home Secretary Jack Straw ruled that it would be ``unjust or oppressive'' to extradite her.
It was also revealed that a former British Solicitor General warned Jack Straw last November that there was insufficient evidence on which to convict McAliskey in a German court.
The decision was greeted with relief by friends, family and supporters but there was also anger that it had taken so long. On Tuesday Roisín's mother, Bernadette McAliskey, said that her daughter would look into the possibility of taking legal action over her daughter's ordeal. ``Roisín is ill as a result of having been arrested and detained and interrogated in Castlereagh,'' she said, and confirmed that she may never make a 100% recovery. ``Somebody is accountable for all that. Somebody is accountable for my daughter's state of health. She is suffering from traumatic stress... and she may walk with a limp for the rest of her life.''
Roisín remains in a London psychiatric hospital and it could be some time before she is fit to leave.''
It was also revealed that a former British Solicitor General warned Jack Straw last November that there was insufficient evidence on which to convict McAliskey in a German court.
The decision was greeted with relief by friends, family and supporters but there was also anger that it had taken so long. On Tuesday Roisín's mother, Bernadette McAliskey, said that her daughter would look into the possibility of taking legal action over her daughter's ordeal. ``Roisín is ill as a result of having been arrested and detained and interrogated in Castlereagh,'' she said, and confirmed that she may never make a 100% recovery. ``Somebody is accountable for all that. Somebody is accountable for my daughter's state of health. She is suffering from traumatic stress... and she may walk with a limp for the rest of her life.''
Roisín remains in a London psychiatric hospital and it could be some time before she is fit to leave.''
