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Išbandyti
2013 06 28

Real IRA arms trial enters final phase in Lithuania

Lithuania's Court of Appeals on Thursday decided to finish hearing the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA) arms smuggling case, regardless of the prosecutor's request to keep waiting for responses from British and Irish authorities.
Michaelas Campbellas
Michael Campbell / „Scanpix“ nuotr.

The verdict in the case should be pronounced in the fall after the defendant, and Irish citizen, makes his final speech on August 30.

"We haven't received responses to our requests for extradition or legal assistance, and our conclusion is that there is no hope to ever receive any feedback," judge Viktoras Kazys said in comment on 18 months of international communication.

The court is hearing a motion filed by Irish citizen Michael Campbell who has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for helping an international terrorist group, arms possession and plans to smuggle arms.

Campbell, who claims to be a victim of a provocation plotted by British security, has said on Thursday he is not guilty.

"The case is totally built on an illegal activity," the 40-year-old Irish citizen said in his brief speech.

His lawyer Ingrida Botyrienė told the court that the crimes were provoked by British security MI-5, and officers of the Lithuanian State Security Department were unlawfully involved in the operation.

In her words, the case does not contain evidence about Michael Campbell being a member of Real IRA, a paramilitary group that opposes British rule of Northern Ireland.

Hearings of the case lasted longer than expected after the Vilnius court last year decided to interrogate the convict's brother Liam Campbell and another defendant Brendan McGuigan.

The United Kingdom and Ireland have refused to extradite the two to Lithuania due to what they say were poor prison conditions in the Baltic state, although a London-based Supreme Court is yet to rule in connection to Liam Campbell. Currently, both suspects whose case has been separated from that of Michael Campbell, are free.

State Prosecutor Aida Japartienė asked for an adjournment in the hearings, saying the extradition case could be finished in July and facilitate interrogations.

Michael Campbell and his lawyer objected, saying the litigation would thus take a longer time, furthermore, the two persons would probably refuse to testify.

“It is obvious that there is no actions going to happen,” Michael Campbell said on Thursday.

He was escorted to the Thursday's hearing in handcuffs and remained guarded by four officers of the Public Security Service in courtroom.

Officials of the Irish Embassy in Vilnius were also present at the Thursday's hearing.

Michael Campbell was arrested in Vilnius in January of 2008 after purchasing arms from an undercover secret agent.

Lithuanian prosecutors have cited classified witnesses as saying he inquired about the amount of explosives needed to blow up a governmental automobile and said he would use the arms against humans.

The prosecutors say the arms purchase operation was organized by his brother Liam Campbell who is titled one of the leaders of the Real Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary organization that opposes British rule of Northern Ireland.

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