Hyde Park bomb accused appears before court in connection with 1972 murders

A 66-year-old man arrested in County Donegal has been brought before the High Court on a European Arrest Warrant in connection with a 1972 bombing in Enniskillen that killed two soldiers. The accused is charged with murder and aiding and abetting an explosion in relation to the incident on the Irvinestown Road, Cherrymount, in which Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston and Private James Eames of the Ulster Defence Regiment died. He was arrested at his home in Creeslough on Monday and appeared before the High Court on Tuesday. The man's defence team indicated they would contest the extradition application and sought bail, citing his medical conditions. Justice Aileen Donnelly remanded him in custody pending a full extradition hearing scheduled for 23 November, with a bail application hearing set for 8 November. The accused's previous trial concerning a 1982 London bombing collapsed in 2014 following disclosure of immunity letters issued to alleged republican paramilitaries.