A National Committee to Stop the Extradition of Sean Garland was formed at a meeting in Dublin on Wednesday, 26^th March 2009.

 

The Campaign to Stop the Extradition of Sean Garland will be chaired by Chris Hudson, founder member of the Peace Train Organisation was established 20 years ago this year.  Chris was also a former trade union official with the Communication Workers Union in Dublin. He played a key role as an intermediary between the Irish Government and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland in the events leading to the ceasefire in 1994.  He is recognised as being a major influence in the maintenance of the loyalist ceasefires and in securing their support for the Good Friday Agreement and the establishment of agreed political institutions in Northern Ireland.  Chris is now a minister with the non- subscribing Presbyterian Church in South Belfast.

 

The Secretary of the campaign will be Tomás MacGiolla, former TD for Dublin West and former Lord Mayor of Dublin.  Tomás requires little introduction.  A former President of Sinn Fein in the 60s, 70s and 80s he was amongst the first to recognise the futility of violence and led the way towards a democratic and peaceful way forward for the North.  Tomás was one of the key influences in establishing the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. Throughout his political life Tomás has always championed the cause of Civil Rights, Wolfe Tone Republicanism and the unity of Irish people.  He is widely recognised throughout Ireland as a man of the utmost integrity.

 

The campaign has already attracted support from senior members of the Óireachtas and public figures from north and south and will actively campaign on Sean’s behalf.

 

 The objective of the committee is to stop the extradition of Sean Garland to the United States, on political, humanitarian, legal and moral grounds.

 

The committee shall raise awareness of the issues and lobby to achieve its objective.

 

Its methods will include the maintenance of this website, on-line petition, raising the profile of the case in the media, leafleting, postering, holding public meetings and seeking support across a wide political spectrum and key public figures in general.