Former IRA leader still in jail over dollar forgery racket

A former IRA leader wanted in the US over a major dollar counterfeiting operation was back behind bars today after delays in his bail application.

Family members and supporters turned out to support former Workers’ Party president Sean Garland during the brief hearing at Dublin’s High Court.

US authorities have sought the extradition of the 74-year-old amid claims that he was linked with the large-scale forgery of almost-perfect US dollars nearly two decades ago. It is also alleged the counterfeiting involved the North Korean government.

Garland’s solicitor, Colm MacGeehan, told the court he was not ready to make a bail application.

“I will be making that application as soon as we are in a position to do so,” he said.

“I will give the required notice.”

Mr Justice Michael Peart remanded the suspect in custody for a week.

Garland, who underwent surgery and chemotherapy for bowel cancer late last year, also suffers from diabetes.

He was hugged by his wife, Mary, and daughter, Caoimhe, before he was led away by prison officers.

A former Official IRA leader in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Garland was part of a group within the movement which tried to lead it away from violence and make it more political.

He was a key figure in securing the Official IRA ceasefire in May 1972, after the faction had split with the Provos.

The socialist later served as president of the Workers’ Party – previously the Sinn Féin Workers’ Party – from 2000 until his retirement last year. He remains a member of the party’s central executive committee.

Garland was previously arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on foot of an extradition warrant by the US authorities in October 2005 at the Workers’ Party annual conference in Belfast.

He was released on bail but failed to appear for his court hearing.

The pensioner, of Beldonstown, Brownstown, Navan, Co Meath, was again arrested outside his party offices in Dublin city centre last Friday.

Outside the court, Mick Finnegan, of the Workers’ Party, said Garland was responsible for saving thousands of lives in Northern Ireland by implementing the ceasefire.

He maintained that the extradition order was the last thing the Bush administration did, with the Obama regime left to deal with it.

“The whole thing is ridiculous,” said Mr Finnegan.

“We are here today to show our support for Sean and show that we are totally behind him.

“He and his legal representatives have always said he was available for questioning so there was no reason to arrest him the way they did.

“There is no doubt when he gets bail he will continue to work as long as he is able to. He is a totally committed socialist.

“Even up to last Thursday he was in the Dáil meeting representatives from the different political parties about the economic situation.”