The extradition to Greece of an Irishman wanted in connection with the seizure in Athens of four tonnes of cannabis worth €50 million was yesterday upheld by a Dutch court.
Mr Tommy Savage (54), from Swords, Co Dublin, was arrested in Amsterdam last January after Greek authorities issued a "red warrant". But he walked free a few days later after a Dutch examining magistrate decided he would not try to flee the country. Yesterday Mr Savage was absent as the three-judge court in Amsterdam delivered its verdict.
A fortnight ago Mr Savage pledged he would return to court to prove his innocence and handed over hundreds of pages of a defence.
Delivering the verdict yesterday, the presiding judge, Mr A. Vermolen said: "Mr Savage submitted a very large file of documents which we examined but we cannot conclude from them that this person is innocent. Therefore we declare that the Greek extradition request is admissible."
The court ruled that all the conditions for his extradition had been met. "He has not come to court. It is clear he did not want to come because he has waived his right to be present," the presiding judge added.
Extracts from Greek extradition papers read in court allege Mr Savage organised loading the cannabis on to a container in the Netherlands which was transported to Athens in late 1996. Witness statements claimed he set up the shipment, but then a row over payment erupted. If convicted he could face 10-20 years in jail.
Under Dutch law he may appeal the extradition ruling within 14 days to a higher court. "If he does not appeal then he will be speedily taken into custody and handed over to the Greek authorities," said a spokesman for Amsterdam's public prosecutor's office.
"But in the meantime he is entitled to his freedom because an earlier request from the public prosecutor to have him taken back into custody pending the outcome of the case was rejected by the courts. They were of the view that he would not try to leave the jurisdiction".
Mr Savage fled to the Netherlands in the early 1990s following threats from the IRA. He had earlier served nine years in the INLA wing of Portlaoise Prison.