MS Roisin McAliskey, who is awaiting a court ruling on extradition to Germany in connection with alleged IRA offences, gave birth to a baby girl at a London hospital yesterday after a 10 hour labour. The baby, weighed 5lb 13oz and was delivered by a consultant obstetrician because the child's umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck eight times.
Although there was a police presence at the Whittington hospital, north London, it is understood the officers were unarmed.
Ms McAliskey's mother, Bernadette, who was at the birth, said her daughter and first grandchild, "the most beautiful girl in the world", were well and thanked the hospital staff for making the delivery the "best experience" possible in the circumstances.
"Roisin and her daughter are both well. They are both sound asleep, it is the first time Roisin has been sound asleep for six months. A week ago we could not envisage celebrating this birth with as much joy as we have been able to, thanks to the professionalism and skill of the staff at the Whittington hospital," she added.
Ms Bernadette McAliskey, the former MidUlster MP and civil rights campaigner, described the delivery as a "very pleasurable experience" and repeatedly praised the hospital for treating her daughter and the father of the child, Mr Sean McCotter, who also attended the birth, with dignity.
The consultant obstetrician, Ms Fredricke Eben, said she assisted the delivery because the baby was in distress but stated this was not unusual as the child was five days overdue and small.
A spokesman for the family said that Ms McAliskey's baby will be called Lionnir, the Irish for ray of sunlight.
It is understood that Ms McAliskey (25) and her daughter will remain in hospital for at least a week. Last Friday a High Court judge granted bail on the condition that Ms McAliskey remained in a secure room at the hospital. Her lawyers will now argue that this bail should be extended to allow Ms McAliskey to be transferred to a nursing home.
Ms McAliskey is wanted by the German authorities in connection with the IRA mortar attack on a British army base in Osnabruck.