IRA man takes his case to Europe

THE European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has decided that a full sitting of the court will hear a case taken against the State by former IRA leader Brendan “Bik” McFarlane.

The Belfast-born republican is claiming his right to a fair trial on charges of being involved in the kidnapping of supermarket executive Don Tidey in 1983 were violated by the State’s delay in prosecuting the case.

McFarlane is proceeding with his case against the State before the ECHR in Strasbourg, despite being acquitted by the Special Criminal Court in June 2008 of being involved in the Tidey kidnapping.