Patrick Ryan IRA confession: PSNI comment on extradition request

Three different police forces have been unable to say if they will pursue prosecutions against Fr Patrick Ryan and two other IRA men who also confessed to IRA crimes on television in recent years.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Sep 2019, 16:33 BST
Former priest and IRA bomber Patrick Ryan who confessed to roles in a number of atrocities this week. Image: BBC SpotlightFormer priest and IRA bomber Patrick Ryan who confessed to roles in a number of atrocities this week. Image: BBC Spotlight
Former priest and IRA bomber Patrick Ryan who confessed to roles in a number of atrocities this week. Image: BBC Spotlight

The News Letter invited comment from the Garda, PSNI and West Midlands Police in relation to Tipperary-born priest Fr Patrick Ryan and Dubliners Kieran Conway, a lawyer, and Michael Hayes, who confessed to serious IRA crimes in 2016 and 2017.

Asked if they would seek extradition of Ryan, the PSNI said: “We are aware of the BBC [Spotlight] interview [this week] and will assess its content to establish whether it contains credible evidence of the commission of criminal offences in Northern Ireland. It is too early to say at this stage what evidence might exist in any cases referenced in the interview, or whether there are credible opportunities to progress investigations into offences committed in Northern Ireland.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Asked if they had tried to extradite Conway, the PSNI said he had “sought to avoid identifying his role in specific incidents” and they are continuing to investigate.

When asked whether it had sought to extradite Hayes in relation to the Birmingham pub bombings confessions he made in 2017, West Midlands Police said it could not comment on an ongoing investigation. The News Letter asked the Garda if it had sought to question the three men, but it said it does not comment on individual cases.

The News Letter asked Amnesty International NI director Patrick Corrigan how he though the Ryan case should now be taken forward.

This paper also asked him if he thought the Republic of Ireland’s failure to extradite Ryan to stand trial for UK bombings during the Troubles might constitute state collusion between Dublin and the IRA?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In its response, Amnesty International did not address the question of collusion. And while many other public figures - including victims of the Hyde Park bombings - called for Ryan to be extradited to face trial, Amnesty did not mention the issue.

Responding for Amnesty, Grainne Teggart said: “There should be no hiding place for those who were responsible for injury and loss of life in Northern Ireland or elsewhere. The authorities have a duty to hold to account those responsible.

“We would expect that this, and any other new evidence related to responsibility for past human right abuses, would and should lead to renewed police investigations.

“All victims of human rights violations and abuses from Northern Ireland’s conflict have a right to justice.

“This is true, whatever the identity of the victim and whatever the identity of the perpetrator and wherever they reside.”