The PSNI has begun proceedings to have American chef Larry Zaitschek extradited to Northern Ireland from New York to face charges that he was involved in the alleged IRA break-in at the Special Branch offices at Castlereagh in Belfast four years ago.
Mr Zaitschek last night accused the PSNI of using his child custody battle to force him to make a false confession. He worked as a chef at Castlereagh where in March 2002, an alleged IRA gang stole dozens of Special Branch files.
During the custody hearing in Belfast yesterday, a chief superintendent said the PSNI intended to seek Mr Zaitschek's extradition.
At his lawyer's office shortly after addressing the custody hearing by satellite link up, Mr Zaitschek said he was appalled by the PSNI's involvement in his custody battle.
"I'm nervous and I have to say I'm disgusted," he said after reviewing a tape of the custody hearing.
"I can't believe that they are going to try to prosecute me for something I had nothing to do with and use my son as a pawn. I've spent the last 4½ years trying to get my son and suggestions of prosecutions have always been out on the periphery for me.
"It's always been this weird thing that I've never had any control over."
Mr Zaitschek said he was told by a PSNI officer in New York in 2002 that he would not see his son, Pearse, again unless he co-operated. "He asked me about Castlereagh again. It was like he was speaking in Cantonese because I had no idea what he was talking about," he said.
Police issued a statement yesterday saying they planned to take action against Mr Zaitschek for his alleged involvement in the break-in, which together with the allegations of an IRA spy ring at Stormont in October 2002, was instrumental in bringing down the power-sharing Northern Executive.
The PSNI said it had received instructions from the North's Public Prosecution Service to prosecute the chef.
He is to be accused of aggravated burglary, assaulting and imprisoning a police officer and two counts of having information likely to be useful to terrorists.