Legal question over republican "on-the-run" letters in Downey extradition is finalised

The High Court has finalised the legal basis on which John Downey may appeal his extradition to Northern Ireland. Mr Justice Aileen Donnelly, the presiding extradition judge, rejected multiple objections to his surrender before granting leave to appeal on Wednesday. The judge determined that questions of exceptional public importance arise regarding assurances given by the UK Government to republican paramilitaries and whether these may have been used to gather evidence against them. Mr Downey, aged 67, was arrested in November 2018 at his home in Creeslough, County Donegal, following a European Arrest Warrant issued in relation to a 1972 car bombing in Enniskillen that killed two British soldiers. He had argued extradition would constitute abuse of process, citing a 2007 comfort letter from Northern Irish authorities. Ms Justice Donnelly rejected all objections and found the comfort letter did not constitute amnesty. Mr Downey remains on continuing bail pending the Court of Appeal hearing.