Irish man set for trial in Germany over IRA bomb attack

James Corry accused of involvement in 1996 assault on British army base in Osnabrück

An Irishman extradited to Germany last year will go on trial later this month for alleged involvement in an IRA bomb attack on a British army base 21 years ago.

German prosecutors suspect James Corry, a 47 year-old Belfast native, was part of an IRA unit that fired three mortal shells into the grounds of the Quebec Barracks in Osnabrück on June 28th, 1996.

No one was injured in the attack, although one shell detonated, damaging the British army complex.

In December, the High Court in Dublin extradited Mr Corry to Germany on foot of a European arrest warrant in connection with the case issued in October.

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Mr Corry, who was arrested in Frankfurt airport on December 13th, has denied any involvement in the attack and says he was never involved with the IRA.

He was placed on an international wanted list in 2004.

His lawyers fought the extradition, the second attempt, accusing German authorities of “culpable negligence”.

They had failed to act on the case for more than a decade, they argued, despite Garda information Mr Corry was living in Killorglin, Co Kerry, where he was arrested last year.

In the High Court, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly granted the State's application for extradition, acknowledging the "significant culpable delay".

However she added there was nothing “oppressive or discriminatory” about the respondent being sought to face trial and punishment.

The court noted provisions for early release under the Belfast Agreement, but said this was a matter for the State in the case of a conviction.

Derek Scally

Derek Scally

Derek Scally is an Irish Times journalist based in Berlin