{"id":4465,"date":"2018-11-09T09:55:26","date_gmt":"2018-11-09T09:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=4465"},"modified":"2018-11-09T09:55:45","modified_gmt":"2018-11-09T09:55:45","slug":"john-downey-double-murder-accused-released-on-bail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=4465","title":{"rendered":"John Downey: Double murder accused released on bail"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A County Donegal man wanted in Northern Ireland for suspected involvement in the murder of two soldiers has been released on bail from a Dublin prison.<\/p>\n

John Downey has been in custody since Monday<\/a> when he was arrested at his home near Creeslough.<\/p>\n

The 66-year-old was granted bail on Thursday morning, but was not released from prison until 22:00 local time.<\/p>\n

The delay was caused by the processing of a financial surety, amounting to 35,000 euros (\u00a330,453).<\/p>\n

Mr Downey is facing extradition over the murder of two UDR men in Enniskillen in 1972.<\/p>\n

He is due to return to court on 23 November.<\/p>\n

Although he is free to go back to his home in Donegal, he has to report to garda\u00ed (Irish police) every day and surrender his passport.<\/p>\n

Bail surety<\/h2>\n

On Thursday afternoon, he complied with a court ruling that he provide a surety of 30,000 euros (\u00a326,155).<\/p>\n

However, the money did not come from two separate sources as specified by the court.<\/p>\n

The judge subsequently changed his bail conditions to 30,000 euros from a single source plus 5,000 euros (\u00a34,360) of his own money.<\/p>\n

‘Flight risk’<\/h2>\n

Mr Downey is challenging a European extradition warrant.<\/p>\n

The PSNI suspect him of involvement in the killing of soldiers Alfred Johnston and James Eames 46 years ago.<\/p>\n

At the hearing on Thursday morning, the court heard Mr Downey had handed over his passport to garda\u00ed.<\/p>\n

His lawyer argued he was not a “flight risk”.<\/p>\n

The lawyer said Mr Downey had worked in a “positive manner” for the peace process and had been involved in reconciliation work.<\/p>\n

Det Sgt Jim Kirwin told the court that Mr Downey lived in a “substantial” property in County Donegal.<\/p>\n

He said he had been living there for about 30 years.<\/p>\n

The court was told Mr Downey is married and has two adult children. He suffers from ill-health, due to hypertension and a heart condition.<\/p>\n

The decision by the Northern Ireland authorities to prosecute him over the 1972 murders was made in June.<\/p>\n

The court was told that while he was on trial over the Hyde Park bombing he was granted bail, and he fulfilled all of the bail conditions.<\/p>\n

Mr Downey did not speak during Thursday morning’s 30-minute hearing.<\/p>\n

A Garda sergeant had objected to bail on a number of grounds, including the gravity of the charges Mr Downey faces.<\/p>\n

A full extradition hearing is expected to take place on Friday, 23 November.<\/p>\n

Hyde Park bombing<\/h2>\n

Mr Downey was previously accused of involvement in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.<\/p>\n

Four soldiers and seven horses were killed in the attack<\/p>\n

He was due to stand trial in 2014, but the trial collapsed.<\/p>\n

It emerged he had been sent a so-called ‘on the runs’ letter which said he was not wanted for arrest, questioning or charge by the police.<\/p>\n

The news that he would not face trial prompted an immediate outcry, with then-prime minister David Cameron telling the Commons that the letter he received in error had been a “dreadful mistake”.<\/p>\n

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