TDs pledge support for Stop
the Extradition of Sean Garland Campaign
13th July 2011
At a press conference today (13th
July) in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin,
TDs and Senators pledged support to the Stop the Extradition of Sean Garland
Campaign.
Chairing the event, alongside
campaign chairman the Rev. Chris Hudson, Independent TD for Waterford John
Halligan said; “Sean’s efforts to push forward the peace process from the 60s
and the 70s right up to the present time have been acknowledged by all
including his political opponents.”
He added; “I think we cannot
stand by and allow the US
government, on botched up arrangements, to extradite an Irishman to America.
They have put up no charges whatsoever against Sean Garland, what they’re
saying is we’ll present the charges when he gets to American, we cannot allow
this precedence.”
The press conference was held
just days before a hearing is due to begin in the Dublin High Court (18th
July) of a US Department of Justice demand to extradite Sean Garland on
allegations of involvement in a network to distribute forged US currency during
the 1990s.
Sean is 77 years of age and in
poor health. A political activist throughout his adult life he served as
President of Workers Party until 2008.
Among the TDs, from several
parties, who spoke in support of Sean at the press conference were Richard Boyd
Barrett, Joan Collins, Finian McGrath, Joanna Tuffy, Timmy Dooley, Martin
Ferris and Joe Higgins others in attendance included Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Mick
Wallace, Aengus Ó Snodaigh as well as Senators, including Labhras O Murchu and
a number of councillors including Ted Tynan, Mannix Flynn and Davy Walsh.
Finian McGrath said he believed
that the attempts to extradite Sean where linked to his political activities in
highlighting the “dark-side” of US foreign policy including human rights abuses
in the middle East and South America.
He added; “There is a hidden
agenda behind this, which is strongly political, it is get a guy off the pitch
how supports the poor, the third world and smaller countries.”
Campaign legal advisor Gerry
Grainger pointed out that due to the US’s Classified Information Procedures Act
it was unlikely that even in a US court Sean and his defence team would be
provided with crucial evidence deemed “highly sensitive” by the intelligence
services.
For further information
contact; John Halligan TD - 086 2678622
Campaign Spokeswoman –
Valerie Hayes – 086 3019185
