Mr John Gilligan (47), who is challenging his extradition to the Republic, where he faces charges including the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, has made a fierce attack on the legal system in Britain. He again protested his innocence of all the charges against him.In a statement read by his counsel, Ms Janine Vaughan-Brown, during a remand hearing at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday, Mr Gilligan told Judge James Rucker he must set aside his "myopic" interpretation of the law and his trial on drugs charges - put on file pending an appeal in the House of Lords against his extradition - must proceed without delay. Mr Gilligan declared he was "100 per cent innocent of all the charges" levied against him in Britain and in the Republic, yet he had been unjustly detained without trial for 31 months. He said the only way the English drugs charges could be left on file was with his consent, and this he would never give. The failure by the courts to bring the case to trial was "an abuse of process and manipulation of my legal rights".Referring to the resignations of the former Supreme Court judge, Mr Hugh O'Flaherty, and the former High Court judge, Mr Cyril Kelly, Mr Gilligan warned Judge Rucker that the situation in Ireland was brought about "by not showing impartiality, independence, dignity and one of the other great tenets of the legal system: that all are equal before the law". Mr Gilligan said he was also subject to a worldwide order on his assets and orders set down by the Criminal Assets Bureau and the Revenue Commissioners. Urging Judge Rucker to end his "purgatory", he said: "You have not got the power this year, had not got the power last year and will not have the power next year to leave this on file . . ." Applying for an extension of custody time limits, Mr Barnaby Jameson, for the Crown, said no date had yet been fixed in the Lords to hear Mr Gilligan's appeal. Mr Jameson maintained there was "good and sufficient cause for extending custody time limits again".Agreeing to extend custody time limits until July 30th, Judge Rucker said he would not to allow a further application "unless the position is very clear" when the parties return to court in July.