A SCOTS national living in the State who has been accused of possessing a letter bomb addressed to the British Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair, yesterday failed in his Supreme Court appeal to be released on bail.
Last month, the High Court refused his application to be granted bail because of fears that he would abscond.
Mr Adam Busby (47), of Gardiner Street, Dublin, has lived in the State since 1983. He was arrested on May 21st last and charged the following day in the Special Criminal Court with a number of offences between January and March, 1995.
He has been charged with having three letter bombs in his possession. The letters were allegedly addressed to Mr Blair, the Labour Party's London headquarters, and a Labour MP, Mr George Robertson. He was also charged with sending threatening messages to a number of Scottish based newspapers. Since his arrest, Mr Busby has remained in custody at Portlaoise Prison. His trial is not expected to go ahead before the end of next October.
His solicitor, Mr Michael Staines, said his client was not likely to return to the UK as he had no passport. The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Hamilton, said Mr Busby had absconded from the UK because he refused to stand trial for a relatively minor offence. Even without a passport there were other places he could go.