Court approves extradition of 'IRA splinter group'

A Slovakian court has ruled there are no obstacles to the extradition of three Irishmen alleged to be members of an IRA splinter group.

However, the final decision rests with the justice minister. Jan Carnogursky is expected to make his decision on their extradition to Britain after he returns from vacation next week.

Ministry spokeswoman Alica Klimesova identified the three as Michael Christopher McDonald, Declan John Rafferty and Fintan Paul O'Farrell.

"We expect that the minister will approve the extradition," said Ms Klimesova, adding that if the extradition is approved, the trio could leave Slovakia within two weeks.

The three were arrested last month in Piestany, a spa town in western Slovakia, where they allegedly had been trying to purchase weapons from British secret service agents pretending to be Iraqi arms salesmen.

British and Slovak media identified the trio as suspected members of an Irish Republican Army dissident group.