Brennan must be extradited
17 August 2009
Commenting on news that Maze escapee Pòl Brennan is to be deported from the United States TUV leader Jim Allister said:“When he escaped from prison Pol Brennan was serving 16 years for possession of firearms. Furthermore, during the mass breakout in which he took part a prison officer was fatally stabbed. Outrageously Britain withdrew its request to have him extradited in 2000 following the signing of the Belfast Agreement and in 2003 the Prison Service said he was no longer being “actively pursued”.
“The fact remains that Brennan is a fugitive from justice. If and when he arrives in the Republic it therefore behooves HMG to immediately proceed with a European Arrest Warrant and seek to have him extradited to Northern Ireland.
“One cannot help, however, fearing that Brennan will be given a by-ball just like Pearse McAuley a few weeks ago. Remember too that Brennan’s fellow Maze escapee now serves as a Junior Minister in the First Ministers’ Office. Justice for the victims of Republican terrorism is, sadly, a rare commodity in Northern Ireland”.
