A CROSS-PARTY campaign to oppose the extradition of former Official IRA leader Seán Garland to the United States was officially launched in Dublin yesterday.
Campaigners hope US president Barack Obama will “look with compassion” on Mr Garland’s case. The US alleges Mr Garland is involved in a major counterfeiting operation involving North Korea and the Russian mafia since the early 1990s.
The 75-year-old, who lives in Co Meath with his wife May and is in ill health, appeared in the High Court last month and was remanded on bail pending a hearing next month.
Almost 30 politicians from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour and Sinn Féin, along with some Independents have pledged support.
PUP leader Dawn Purvis, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and senior UUP member Chris McGimpsey have also pledged support, along with prominent trade unionists including president of Siptu Jack O’Connor and writers, actors, barristers and academics.
Presbyterian minister Rev Chris Hudson, a former trade union official and founder member of the Peace Train organisation, is chairman of the support committee. Mr Hudson said yesterday he was involved in the campaign because of Mr Garland’s dedicated support of peace.
“It is not necessary to hold the same political world view as another person to recognise them as someone of integrity,” he said.
“It would be an immoral act for Seán Garland to be extradited to the US when you consider his contribution to peace and a better understanding – that surely has to count for something.”
He said he personally believed Mr Garland was innocent of the charges, but could not go in to details because of the impending court case.
It was “not too much of an ask” to request the US to withdraw from proceedings, he said. Mr Garland was part of the tapestry of the peace process of which the US were also a part and it would serve no purpose to extradite him.
“We live in a new era with President Obama in the United States and we would hope he would look with compassion on Seán Garland and remove this warrant for his extradition,” Mr Hudson said.
Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews said the application for extradition had been a vindictive act by the Bush administration. “Seán should be left alone to get on with his life in the twilight of his years.”
Jack O’Connor said he did not see what contribution to human progress or to the progress of the American or Irish people it would make to “crucify an elderly man who is suffering from a multiplicity of illnesses”.
Labour TD Joanna Tuffy said she was motivated to support the campaign by admiration for Mr Garland, but there was also a very strong case to be made on humanitarian grounds that the proceedings should be withdrawn.
Former senator Eddie Bohan said Mr Garland would not last two months in jail. “It’s tantamount to murder,” he said.
Senator Eoghan Harris said the charges against Mr Garland were “murky”, but at bottom they were very vague and unsubstantiated allegations.
“When you put on to the weighing scales Seán Garland’s entire life as a campaigner against crimes against the person, against the ending of political assassinations on all sides of this island, when you put that on the weighing scales, I think that is why people are here, because the moral weight of the situation is behind Seán Garland.”
