A warrant was issued yesterday for the arrest of Seán Garland, the president of the Workers' Party, after he failed to appear at Belfast Recorder's Court to face possible extradition to the United States.
The 71-year-old former leader of the Official IRA was arrested in Belfast in October on the eve of his party's annual conference.
He appeared in court the next day on an arrest warrant issued in the US last May, alleging that he had been involved in counterfeiting large quantities of $100 notes which were distributed around the world.
He was released on bail on condition he resided with a friend in Co Down. But last month his bail was varied to allow him to return home to Navan, Co Meath, to undergo medical treatment in the Republic.
When the extradition hearing resumed yesterday, the court was told that Mr Garland was not present and Judge Tom Burgess issued an arrest warrant.
The judge adjourned the hearing until the new year and said that at a hearing on a date to be fixed he would deal with applications to estreat (enforce the forfeit of) £30,000 bail money.
The money represented cash lodgements of £10,000 each which three bailsmen paid into court before Mr Garland was freed.
Judge Burgess said the adjournment period would enable the three to get legal advice, adding: "For each of them it is quite a substantial sum of money, with whatever consequences that may have for them."
The indictment handed down by a US grand jury in May alleged that since the early 1990s Mr Garland and others engaged in buying and transporting large quantities of high-quality, counterfeit $100 notes that were passed on as genuine or resold.
In a statement posted on his website on November 15th, Mr Garland made it clear he did not intend to honour his bail. "I have decided not to return to British jurisdiction," he said. "I will place myself under the protection of my own country and my own country's constitution which guarantees me basic human rights and freedoms."