Man whose extradition is being sought remanded in custody
on 18/11/2009 17:04:32
The High Court in Dublin has remanded in custody a Belfast man who extradition is being sought by authorities in the North for a kidnapping that threatened the peace process.
Henry Joseph aka 'Harry' Fitzsimmons (aged 40) with address at Westrock Green and Spamount Street in Belfast was convicted of kidnapping Mr Robert 'Bobby' Tohill, an alleged dissident republican, from a bar in Belfast on February 20, 2004. However before sentence could be imposed Fitzsimmons allegedly left the North and came south of the border.
At the time the kidnapping was blamed by the PSNI on the Provisional IRA with whom Mr Tohill allegedly had a falling out with. The kidnapping caused serious political fallout with the peace process and led to financial sanctions in the North against Sinn Féin.
Today at the High Court Mr Justice John MacMenamin further remanded Mr Fitzsimmons in custody to appear back before the court early next month.
Mr Fitzsimmons was arrested in Dundalk, Co Louth and brought before the High Court in Dublin earlier this month on foot of an European Arrest Warrant.
It is claimed in the EAW that in February 2004 the PSNI, acting on an anonymous phone call, were given information that Mr Tohill, after a meeting with a journalist was dragged by a number of men with batons from Kelly's Cellar Bar in Belfast. Mr Tohill was placed in the back of a small blue coloured van.
Using CCTV the PSNI tracked the van to Belfast city centre. A PSNI car, in an attempt to intercept the van, collided with the vehicle. Mr Tohill was found by officers in the back of the van. He had been badly beaten and was bleeding profusely.
The EAW states that four men also found in the van, who were wearing forensic suits and disposable surgical gloves, were arrested. They were Mr Fitzsimmons along with three others from Belfast: Liam Rainey, Thomas Tolan and Gerard McCrory. The van was also fitted with false license plates.
It is claimed in the EAW that Mr Tohill, who declined to make a statement, did tell the PSNI that the men had told him that he was to be "fed to the pigs in South Armagh."
All four pleaded guilty to offences at Belfast Crown Court and were awaiting sentencing when they jumped bail. Two of the men, Gerard McCrory and Thomas Tolan, were arrested in the North. In January 2007 they given prison sentences of between six and seven years.
However, sentences have not been imposed on either Mr Fitzsimmons or Mr Rainey.