Prisoners whose cases may be reviewed

SEAN McNULTY

SEAN McNULTY

An English born IRA recruit. McNulty (26) a construction worker, was jailed for 25 years in August 1994 for conspiring to bomb an oil terminal and gasworks at North Shields, in the north east of England. Traces of Semtex were found in his bedroom and wardrobe. The prosecution also relied upon circumstantial evidence, arguing McNulty's footprints were found at the scene. As he was sentenced, he said: "That's no problem."

HUGH JACK

A Scottish turkey farmer, Jack (37) had 29 previous convictions, mainly for fighting. He was jailed for 20 years for conspiring to cause explosions in January 1995. The main evidence against him was forensic, which suggested he had stored explosives in his home. However, his defence argued that Jack was an unwitting stooge, who was arrested because of his association with Robert Fryers, a Belfast bouncer who was caught carrying a bomb onto a London bus.

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DEREK DOHERTY

A Dubliner, Doherty (23) was jailed for 25 years in October 1994 for conspiring to cause explosions following a bombing campaign in London. He was accused of planting 12 bombs with his co accused Gerald Mackin, from Belfast. Police discovered Semtex, incendiary devices and detonators hidden behind a bath panel in a friend's house.

NICHOLAS MULLEN

A former student activist, Mullen (42) fled to Zimbabwe before being arrested for conspiring to cause explosions. Police described him as an IRA quartermaster and said he also provided safe houses, transport and false identity documents for an IRA gang. A large amount of Semtex, described at his 1990 trial as the most found in Britain, was discovered dumped by the waterworks near his north London home. Mullen was jailed for 30 years.

FEILIM O hAHMAILL

A 35 year old university lecturer, O'hAdhmaill was jailed for 25 years in November 1994 for conspiring to cause explosions after he was arrested trying to unload 37lb of explosives and bomb making equipment from his car. O'hAdhmaill, from Belfast, was described by police as a senior IRA terrorist. A hit list of potential targets and politicians, including several cabinet ministers was also discovered at his Accrington home.

VINCENT WOOD

An English sales executive, Wood (32) is married to an Irish woman and was described by friends as a republican sympathiser. He was jailed in 1993 for 22 years - which was reduced to 17 on appeal - for possession of Semtex. Police discovered 35lb of explosives at his home in east London, and a partially burnt map marking the British Prime Minister, Mr Major's constituency home.

DAMIEN MCCOMB and LIAM O DHUIBHIR

Both Irishmen were arrested in after visiting a hidden Semtex dump on the south Wales coast. Police believed the Semtex had been used in the bombing of the Royal Marines School of Music, in Deal, Kent, which killed 11 bandsmen. The cache had been under surveillance for 42 days. Although the men were not charged with the bombing, they were convicted of conspiring to cause explosions and were both jailed for 30 years. As they were led away, they shouted: "Victory to the IRA".

PATRICK KELLY

The 44 year old lorry driver, who was transferred to Portlaoise jail this week, was jailed for 25 years in 1993 for conspiring to cause an explosion at the Lord Mayor's show in London. He was arrested minutes after police discovered a lorry containing a three ton bomb parked in the road in Stuke Newington, north London. Officers claimed he was the lorry driver. However, another IRA man Patrick Hayes has since stated he was the driver. Hayes was jailed for bombing Harrods in 1994.

JOHN KINSELLA

A petty thief, Kinsella (51) had always protested his innocence since his 1994 conviction for possession of Semtex, and is not regarded as an IRA man in prison. Several British MPs support his case, demanding an instant review of the evidence. He hid Semtex and guns for his nephews, Denis Kinsella and Pairic MacFhloinn, under a place for bonfires in his allotment, but claimed he thought it was stolen property. At his trial, Kinsella was described as an IRA quartermaster and was jailed for 20 years. But the sentence was reduced to 16 on appeal. Denis Kinsella and MacFhloinn were jailed for 33 years for blowing up Warrington gasworks and attempting to murder a police officer.