A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Workers Party president Sean Garland after he failed to appear in court in Belfast today to face possible extradition to the United States.
The 71 year-old was arrested in Belfast in October on the eve of his party's annual conference. He appeared in court the next day on an arrest warrant issued in America last May alleging that he had been involved in counterfeiting large quantities of US dollar notes which were distributed around the world.
He was released on bail on condition he live with a friend in Co Down. But last month his bail was varied to allow him to return home to Navan, Co Meath, to undergo medical treatment.
When the extradition hearing resumed today the court was told that Mr Garland was not present and Judge Tom Burgess issued an arrest warrant.
The judge adjourned the hearing until the New Year.
The indictment handed down by a US Grand Jury in May alleged that since the early 1990s Mr Garland and others engaged in buying and transporting large quantities of high quality 100 US dollar notes which were passed as genuine or re-sold. The notes became known as "super dollars" due to their near-perfect reproduction.
The indictment also alleged that Mr Garland arranged with North Korean agencies for the purchase of some of the counterfeit notes and enlisted others to disseminate them within the UK.
A BBC investigation last year claimed that ex-KGB officers, the Russian Mafia and the North Korean government were also involved in the alleged counterfeiting racket.