20 April 2000 Edition
Quinlivan extradition ordered
BY MARTIN SPAIN
Brixton escaper Nessan Quinlivan walked free from yet another prison this week as the saga of his attempted extradition to England took another twist.
He is pictured here leaving Mountjoy Prison in Dublin on Wednesday, 19 April, after he was granted bail by the High Court. That same court, sitting the previous Friday, had done Quinlivan no favours. Judge Peter Kelly dismissed Quinlivan's appeal against extradition on four warrants dated April 1993, alleging conspiracy to murder and to cause explosions, escape from custody at Brixton Prison in 1991, and wounding with intent.
Kelly rejected Quinlivan's assertion that the alleged offences were political and that his extradition would be unjust as the escape from Brixton was assisted by British Intelligence services in a dirty tricks operation. The judge also dismissed a separate judicial review challenge in which Quinlivan cited the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement as reason why it would be unjust to extradite him.
Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle member Martin Ferris described that decision as ``disgraceful''. He asked whose agenda is served by recent government attempts to extradite Angelo Fusco, Paul Magee and now Quinlivan. He has called on the government to bring an end to this farce and rescind all outstanding extradition warrants against those facing political charges.
``For the Irish government to involve itself in the extradition of any Irish citizen on political charges is completely at odds with the commitment to release all political prisoners in the Good Friday Agreement,'' said Ferris. ``It is time for the government to bring an end to this farce and rescind all outstanding extradition warrants against those facing political charges.''
Brixton escaper Nessan Quinlivan walked free from yet another prison this week as the saga of his attempted extradition to England took another twist.
He is pictured here leaving Mountjoy Prison in Dublin on Wednesday, 19 April, after he was granted bail by the High Court. That same court, sitting the previous Friday, had done Quinlivan no favours. Judge Peter Kelly dismissed Quinlivan's appeal against extradition on four warrants dated April 1993, alleging conspiracy to murder and to cause explosions, escape from custody at Brixton Prison in 1991, and wounding with intent.
Kelly rejected Quinlivan's assertion that the alleged offences were political and that his extradition would be unjust as the escape from Brixton was assisted by British Intelligence services in a dirty tricks operation. The judge also dismissed a separate judicial review challenge in which Quinlivan cited the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement as reason why it would be unjust to extradite him.
Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle member Martin Ferris described that decision as ``disgraceful''. He asked whose agenda is served by recent government attempts to extradite Angelo Fusco, Paul Magee and now Quinlivan. He has called on the government to bring an end to this farce and rescind all outstanding extradition warrants against those facing political charges.
``For the Irish government to involve itself in the extradition of any Irish citizen on political charges is completely at odds with the commitment to release all political prisoners in the Good Friday Agreement,'' said Ferris. ``It is time for the government to bring an end to this farce and rescind all outstanding extradition warrants against those facing political charges.''