Self-confessed IRA bomber claims PSNI have '˜no evidence' to extradite him

Criminal defence lawyer Kieran Conway, who was the IRA’s director of intelligence during the 1970s, has openly boasted about his role in fatal gun attacks which left “maybe five or six” British soldiers dead.

During a detailed interview with BBC’s HARDtalk current affairs programme last week,he also confessed to planting bombs and taking part in a number of armed robberies.

Mr Conway had already detailed his IRA past in an autobiographical book published in 2014.

In the wake of last week’s explosive remarks, pressure has been building on the PSNI to seek Mr Conway’s extradition to Northern Ireland.

But in an interview yesterday on the Stephen Nolan radio show, the lawyer indicated he was confident this would not happen.

“You can’t be extradited for questioning. There is no evidence against me other than what is in my book,” he said.

“They would have to charge me with armed robbery at a place unknown, on a date unknown against people unknown. That would be a stretch, even for the British justice system.”

However, Mr Conway accepted there was a possibility he could be charged with IRA membership, and said he would not come to Belfast to face questioning.

PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy told the News Letter earlier this week: “We are aware of the BBC interview and will assess its content to establish whether it contains credible evidence of the commission of criminal offences.

“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.”