Courts / Kerry / Report

Germans accused of negligence for delay in pursuit of bombing suspect

Date
2016-10-05
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Killorglin
County
Kerry

Summary

In a High Court hearing on 5 October 2016, barrister Remy Farrell SC accused German federal authorities of "culpable negligence" for a more than ten‑year delay in acting on a European Arrest Warrant for James Corry, a 46‑year‑old Irishman suspected of involvement in a 1996 IRA bombing in Osnabruck, Germany. Farrell argued that the Germans had failed to explain why they did not act on information supplied by the Irish Gardaí in 2005, when Corry was already on the International Wanted List. He described the delay as "truly exceptional" and "unconscionable," and claimed that under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, any removal of Corry from Ireland would require a "pressing social need." Farrell also noted that a conviction in Germany could lead to life imprisonment, contrasting this with a two‑year sentence in the UK or Ireland, and said the German prosecutor's actions were "nonsense" and "unconvincing finger‑pointing." Justice Aileen Donnelly reserved.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Germans accused of negligence for delay in pursuit of bombing suspect. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: Regarding Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, he said it does not apply in this case because there are no exceptional family circumstances that require Mr Corry to remain in Ireland. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • High Court
Incident

Topics

Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report

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