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“They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken” Bobby Sands

Extradition bid on 30th anniversary of ceasefire August 29, 2024
 

The arrest and detention without bail of 61-year-old veteran republican Martin McCauley on foot of a British extradition warrant has been strongly condemned by republicans. Sinn Féin has yet to comment on the attempted extradition to the north of Ireland of Mr McCauley in connection with legacy Provisional IRA charges dating from 1982.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Comhairle Uladh (Ulster Executive), Sinn Féin Poblachtach (Republican Sinn Féin) said it strongly condemned the arrest.

“The 26-County State has long collaborated with the British occupation of the Six Counties, particularly by extraditing Irish citizens for political purposes. Sinn Féin Poblachtach has always opposed political extradition and we call for the immediate release of Martin McCauley. We also call for an end to the criminalisation of Irish Republicans and extradition to so-called British justice.” The extradition bid was motivated by allegations made by police working for the disgraced ‘Operation Kenova’, the British police legacy unit responsible for the cover-up earlier this year in regard to the actions of the double agent ‘Stakeknife’.

As a result, Mr McCauley is now being pursued by the PSNI over 42-year-old charges, contrary to Britain’s own amnesty legislation which passed into law in May this year which supposedly ended such prosecutions. Crown prosecutors have claimed the decision to prosecute was taken in April, before the controversial new laws on the legacy of the conflict came into effect.

Lasair Dhearg said it sent solidarity to Mr McCauley following his arrest and called for his immediate release.

“This same process has previously seen Republicans face lengthy periods on remand in British gaols only to have the charges quashed at court, Britain has no right to request the extradition of Irish republicans on these dubious legacy charges and we are not surprised at the Free State colluding with the Brits to oversee this extradition request. ▲

Operation Arbacia: judgement still pending
 

On June 26 Mr Justice Fowler in Belfast reserved judgement on Operation Arbacia, the evidence against the Saoradh 10 by Dennis McFadden, who had spent many years spying on the group for the British state.

They are charged with directing a terrorist organisation, belonging to a proscribed organisation, preparing terrorist acts, conspiring to direct terrorism and possessing articles for use in terrorism.

All serious revolutionary socialist must demand their release because the evidence of a paid state spy and informer is by its very nature unreliable.

The ten defendants are:

Jospeh Patrick Barr, Issam Bassalat, Amanda Duffy, Gary Jospeh Hayden, David Jordan, Sharon Jordan, Patrick John McDaid, Damien Joseph McLaughlin, Kevin Barry Murphy, Shea Reynolds. ▲

The current Irish republican prisoner list is collated by Irish Republican Prisoner News Facebook page from public lists by prisoner welfare groups and family/friends of independent prisoners.

Castlerea Prison

Harristown, 

Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, F45 X330 

Dean Evans

Portlaoise Gaol

Dublin Road

Portlaoise

Co Laois, Ireland,C4

Seán Connolly

E1

Dónal Billings

Sharif Kelly

Stephen Hendrick

Edward McGrath

Kevin Braney

Máirtín Manning

John Roche

Declan Sean McDermott

Sean Walsh

Hydebank

Fern One

Hydebank Wood

Hospital Road

Belfast BT8 8NA

Mandy Duffy

Sharon Jordan

Christine Connor

Maghaberry Prison

Old Road

Ballinderry Upper

Lisburn BT28 2PT

Roe 3

Liam Hannaway

John Sheehy

Roe 4

Brendan McConville

Seán McVeigh

Christie Robinson

Seán Farrell

Shea Reynolds

Gary “Musky” Hayden

Kevin Barry Murphy

Damien “DD” McLaughlin

Davy Jordan

Ciaran Maguire

Jason Ceulemans

Nick Donnelly

Kieran “Zack” Smyth

Niall Sheerin

Braid House

Patrick Joseph (Mooch) Blair

Mourne House

Ciarán McLaughlin

Davis House

John Paul Heaney

Niall Lehd

Magilligan Prison

Point Rd, Limavady

Derry BT49 0LR

John Paul Wootton

Terence Marks

Not on IRPN list

Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Street

Limerick

Rose Lynch