Gardaí could travel to Jordan to question the prime suspect in the murder of US woman Jamey Carney and may even be able to “bring him back”, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has said.
Ahmed Al Saqar (28) is being held in custody by Jordanian authorities for 15 days to allow for an investigation by a prosecutor attached to the country’s serious crime court.
On Thursday, O’Callaghan said he was hopeful that despite the lack of a formal extradition process, certain “innovative mechanisms” may allow Garda to question and extradite him.
“I suspect that An Garda Síochána are in touch with their Jordanian colleagues in respect of [the investigation],” he said.
READ MORE
While Ireland does not have a comprehensive bilateral extradition treaty with Jordan, the Minister said he does not think that “should necessarily be the end of it”.
He suggested there could be “innovative mechanisms available that could enable the Gardaí to question the suspect out in Jordan and even perhaps to bring him back.”
The Jordanian ministry of the interior said it was notified by Irish authorities that a Jordanian citizen is suspected of killing an American woman in Ireland following a preliminary investigation.
Although not named in the statement, it is understood the man arrested was Al Saqar, the deceased’s boyfriend, who gardaí consider the prime suspect in her killing. A murder investigation is under way.
Gardaí believe Al Saqar left Ireland for Turkey immediately after Jamey Carney was killed and before her body was discovered in her home in Killarney.
[ Who was American-born Killarney murder victim Jamey Carney?Opens in new window ]
Upon notification by Irish authorities “Jordanian security agencies immediately launched search, investigation and tracking operations after identifying the suspect’s residence and whereabouts,” the statement said.
Al Saqar was “subsequently arrested and questioned” by Jordanian police. Authorities said the case has been referred to a prosecutor at the Jordanian Grand Criminal Court – the country’s trial court for serious crimes.
“The prosecutor has begun the investigation and ordered the suspect to be held in custody for 15 days at a correctional and rehabilitation centre while the investigation continues.”
The Irish Times understands the Garda has requested assistance and information from a number of other police forces as part of the murder investigation.
Under Irish extradition law, gardaí can only seek the extradition of a suspect to either serve an existing sentence or for the purpose of charge for a new offence. They cannot seek the extradition of a person as part of their investigation or to simply question them.
Extraditions between the two countries are governed by the Extradition Act 1965 and are only granted where offences carry more than a one-year prison sentence.
Al Saqar came to Ireland from the UK in 2024, travelling first to Northern Ireland before making his way to Dublin. He later moved to Killarney, where he became involved in a relationship with Jamey Carney.
She was originally from Westchester County, north of New York City and had moved with her daughter Michaela to Ireland in May 2021, settling in Killarney. She worked for a healthcare consulting company.
Gardaí are satisfied that Al Saqar caught a Green Coach from Mission Road in Killarney at 4.30am on July 7th to Bachelors Walk in Dublin and from there got a taxi to Dublin Airport, where he caught a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul at 10.40am.
Gardaí believe that he had already landed, or was about to land, in Istanbul when they received a report at 1pm on July 7th that Jamey Carney had been found dead at her home in Homeland on the Muckross Road in Killarney.
