10-year delay in seeking suspect’s arrest warrant

A barrister at the High Court yesterday accused the German federal authorities of “culpable negligence” for waiting for more than 10 years to pursue an arrest warrant for a man suspected of involvement in a Provisional IRA bombing.

Remy Farrell said that the Germans had engaged in “finger-pointing” at the gardaí and the Irish State and failed to explain why they did not act on information given to them by gardaí back in 2005.

Mr Farrell was representing James Anthony Oliver Albert Corry, aged 46, who was arrested in Killorglin, Co Kerry, last October on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by German authorities.

Mr Corry is suspected of involvement in a Provisional IRA attack in Osnabruck, Germany in 1996 in which three mortar shells were fired at a British army barracks.

Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly reserved judgment until November 14.

Sean Guerin, counsel for the minister for justice, said the alleged offence was “very serious” and therefore the public interest could never be described as insignificant, regardless of any delay by the Germans.

Justice Aileen Donnelly reserved judgment until November 14.