Hardy to face charges in Germany

A north Belfast man wanted by the Germans over an IRA mortar bomb
attack on a British army base has voluntarily travelled to
Germany, it has emerged.

Leonard Hardy was arrested last year while in Spain in relation
to warrants issued by the German authorities. He travelled to
Germany on Monday having made contact with German authorities
through his lawyer.

Mr Hardy was arrested last August in a hotel in the Spanish
holiday resort of Torremolinos on a European arrest warrant.

He is accused of having taken part in the attack on a British
base in Osnabrueck in 1996, in which one bomb exploded but caused
no injuries.

Roisin McAliskey, daughter of prominent republican Bernadette
McAliskey, was also arrested over the attack and subsequently
became the subject of an international controversy over British
human rights abuses.

Mr Hardy had been living in County Louth when he went to
Torremolinos last year on holiday.

He was arrested at the Hotel Sol Principe, where he had been
staying.

Sinn Fein TD Arthur Morgan called for Mr Hardy's immediate
release.

"He shouldn't be locked up, in my view. The alleged offences
predate the Good Friday Agreement, and Leonard is a firm
supporter of the Good Friday Agreement.

"He should be released immediately and permitted to rejoin his
family," said the Louth TD.

Mr Hardy has now been released on bail in Germany pending trial.
Although the German Government is not a signatory to the Good
Friday Agreement, it is hoped that it will be taken into account
in any future proceedings.