Omagh bomb suspect extradited to Lithuania

A MAN found civilly liable in 1998 for the Omagh bomb has been extradited to Lithuania on a string of charges relating to the possession of firearms, smuggling, and terrorism.

The news of Liam Campbell’s obtainment by authorities from the Baltic State comes a few weeks after a ruling from Ireland’s most senior court declared his extradition legal.

On Tuesday, at Dublin Airport, Campbell was handed over by Gardaí to the Lithuanian authorities, whereupon he was to be flown to the country’s capital, Vilnius, to be charged with numerous serious weapons offences.

This brings an end to a 12 year legal struggle between Mr Campbell and the Lithuanian authorities, during which the 59-year-old spent four years in custody in the North before being released upon claims that the extradition would be breach of his human rights.

But following Tuesday’s development, Mr Campbell, if found guilty of his most serious charges – which include terrorism offences –  could be looking at 20 years in what are said to be ‘some of the harshest prison conditions in Europe’,

Mr Campbell, who was arrested at an address in Dundalk, is alleged, between 2006 and 2007, to have organised the preparation for firearms to be smuggled from Lithuania for use by the Real IRA – the group held responsible for the 1998 atrocity which claimed 31 lives, including unborn twins.

The European Arrest Warrant under which Mr Campbell was obtained states that he “made arrangements, while acting in an organised terrorist group, the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) to acquire a substantial number of firearms and explosives from Lithuania and smuggle them into Ireland”.

The warrant lists sniper rifles, automatic guns, TNT and detonators as some of the items of violence Mr Campbell tried to get hold of in order to transport back to Ireland.