Unionist calls for extradition of 'Border Fox'

Irish National Liberation Army member Dessie O’Hare – once known as The Border Fox – should be handed over to the authorities in the North if he is freed early from prison in Ireland, an Ulster Unionist said tonight.

No date has been set for O’Hare to be freed after his transfer from the high security Portlaoise prison, although Ireland's Release of Prisoners Commission has recommended that he is eligible under the Good Friday Agreement.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has not yet made any decision on the Commission’s recommendation.

O’Hare has served 15 years of a 40-year sentence for kidnapping Dublin dentist John O’Grady at the top security Portlaoise prison.

Ulster Unionist Northern Ireland Assembly member Danny Kennedy criticised plans to release O’Hare after it was disclosed that he had been transferred from Portlaoise to the more relaxed Castlerea jail over the weekend.

Mr Kennedy said the plans caused considerable concern within the Unionist community in South Armagh.

O’Hare should be sent to Northern Ireland and questioned in connection with alleged terrorist activity, he said.

“The authorities here should be pressing for the extradition of O’Hare to Northern Ireland and making strong representations to Dublin opposing his release,” Mr Kennedy said.

“He poses an equally sinister threat on both sides of the border and should serve out the rest of his 40 years.

“His early release will be deeply offensive to all law-abiding people.”

O’Hare, 42, who kidnapped Mr O’Grady, and chopped off one of his fingers while he was holding the dentist captive, was jailed at Dublin’s Special Criminal Court in 1988.

He is the latest paramilitary prisoner likely to benefit from early release under the Good Friday Agreement.

O’Hare’s lawyers argued for his release as he is a member of the INLA – its members are being freed as part of the 1998 Agreement.

Recommendations that O’Hare should be freed were sent by the Release of Prisoners Commission to Justice Minister Michael McDowell last July.

Mr McDowell, who approved O’Hare’s transfer to Castlerea at the weekend, said today that no date had been fixed for his eventual release.

The move from Portlaoise will help acclimatise O’Hare to life outside prison.

He is now living in “The Grove”, a separate area within Castlerea prison, Co Roscommon.

“The Grove”, which functions as a semi-open prison, consists of five houses in which inmates offenders live in a domestic-type environment.

Each man has his own room and bed, can cook his own food and is free to mix with other inmates.