A US religious minister who admitted helping the suicide of a Dublin woman has been arrested and held in custody on foot of an Irish extradition warrant, writes Sean O'Driscollin New York.
George Exoo could become the first person to be extradited from the US on an assisted suicide charge.
One disability rights expert said he believed it was the world's first euthanasia extradition case.
Mr Exoo is wanted in Ireland after admitting he assisted the suicide of Rosemary Toole-Gilhooley (49) at her Donnybrook home in 2002. He previously told The Irish Timesthat he did not believe the extradition would ever proceed.
Mr Exoo was denied bail at a hearing in Beckley, West Virgina, yesterday. A small group of supporters attended the hearing, including Mr Exoo's partner, Thomas McGurrin, who also flew to Ireland to assist Ms Toole-Gilhooley's suicide.
Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and ankle chains, Mr Exoo was told by Judge R Clarke Van Dervort that he would be denied bail, despite his supporters' offer to put up cash and property.
Judge Van Dervort said that the extradition hearing would most likely be held in early August and that Mr Exoo would be held in federal custody until then.
Mr Exoo was arrested at his home in Beckley, West Virginia, early this week and was held in the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, a prison service spokesman confirmed.
The former Unitarian minister is accused of accepting $2,500 (€1,845) from Ms Toole-Gilhooley to travel to Ireland and help her with the suicide, along with Mr McGurrin.
He admitted in subsequent media interviews that he counselled her as she swallowed poisonous pills and breathed helium but said that he and Mr McGurrin did not physically help the suicide in any way.
Stephen Drake, a researcher with disability rights group, Not Dead Yet, said he believed the case would be the first assisted suicide extradition. "The only other examples that even come close to Exoo are cases where UK and Canadian relatives have allowed a family member to go to Switzerland to end their lives, but there was not been any criminal prosecutions," he said. He welcomed Mr Exoo's arrest and said the Irish authorities were helping to protect vulnerable people.