Unionists seek extradition of priest who became IRA bomb maker

Unionists in Northern Ireland have called for the extradition from the Republic of Ireland of a former priest turned IRA member who admitted obtaining money and bomb components for the paramilitary organisation.

Patrick Ryan told the BBC Spotlight on the Troubles documentary that he spent 10 years visiting Libya and Europe to raise money for the IRA, and also discovered timers that made it easier for the IRA to arm bombs without being killed themselves.

These became a component in the republican organisation’s bomb-making technology. One was used to detonate the 1984 bomb at the Tory party conference in Brighton, the programme reported. Fragments of the timer were recovered from the rubble.

“I would have liked to have been much more effective than I was, but we did not do too badly,” the former priest said.

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The Irish government refused a UK government request in 1988 to extradite Mr Ryan for trial.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the UK authorities should take steps to initiate a fresh extradition request.

“I think that the Irish Government should apologise for that failure on the part of the Irish authorities to extradite this man at the time,” he said.

“The Irish Government should step up to the mark if they receive an extradition request from the UK authorities. Clearly this is an elderly man, and the sooner he is brought before the courts, the better for the pursuit of justice.”

Thatcher’s view

According to Spotlight, documents revealed that then UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher, considered Fr Ryan to be the main channel between the IRA and Libya for a decade, and described him as a "very dangerous man" with an expert knowledge of bombing.

“One way or another I had a hand in most of them,” he said, and he regretted that he had not been even more effective.

In a statement, Ulster Unionist councillor Danny Kinahan said he was a former member of the Blues and Royals regiment and lost friends and colleagues among the 11 killed in the IRA's attack in Hyde Park in London in 1982.

“It is extremely uncomfortable to see a former priest seemingly gloating in the part that he played in the murder of my friends, and words cannot really express my anger,” he said.

“I have worked with the families of the Hyde Park victims to get justice for their loved ones and the least that our government can do for them is to seek immediately to bring Ryan to justice, no matter where in the world he currently resides.

“Resources should be committed to locating and arresting him. If Mr Ryan lives in the Republic, this will be a test of the Varadkar Government’s commitment to righting the wrong of the Irish government’s refusal to extradite Ryan to the United Kingdom in 1988.”

Irish response

A spokesman from the Department of Justice said decisions on extradition applications, both currently and at the time in question, are “a matter for the courts”.

“The Government does not comment on individual cases,” he added.

“The European Arrest Warrant has been an extremely valuable tool in ensuring the efficient extradition of suspects between jurisdictions.”

Spotlight on The Troubles: A Secret History is broadcast on Tuesday, September 24th, on BBC1 NI and BBC4 at 9pm