Guerin murder suspect given 14 days to appeal extradition ruling by Dutch court

A Dublin man, Mr Brian Meehan (32), has 14 days to appeal his extradition from Holland to face 18 charges relating to drugs, firearms and the murder of Veronica Guerin. The three-judge Amsterdam District Court ruled yesterday afternoon that the extradition application by gardai was valid under Dutch law. Mr Meehan was in court to hear the ruling.

At a hearing two weeks ago Mr Meehan's lawyer, Mr Alexander van der Waal, argued that his client could not get a fair trial in Ireland because of media coverage of Ms Guerin's murder.

Mr Meehan can appeal yesterday's ruling to the Dutch Supreme Court in The Hague, and this appeal must be lodged with the District Court office in the next two weeks.

Mr van der Waal was not available for comment on his client's intentions.

A spokesman for the District Court said the judgment meant that all the objections raised by Mr van der Waal last month had been rejected by the court. "The extradition is legal. The court has ruled there is no reason to keep him here."

At his extradition hearing last month Mr Meehan said he was innocent of all 18 charges, and his lawyer applied to have two other alibi witnesses heard in court.

His lawyer also asked that the Dutch court await the outcome of the case against Patrick Eugene Holland, and use of evidence of Charles Bowden, a former associate, who is a State prosecution witness.

The leading judge, Mr Robert Blekxtoon, rejected both applications and set yesterday as the date when the court would rule on the extradition.

Mr Meehan is being held in Vught prison, a high-security facility about 100 km from Amsterdam. He argued in court that he was not allowed to have visitors or make phone calls.

He was arrested by Amsterdam police outside Amsterdam Central Station on October 10th. He was with his 21-year-old girlfriend and an associate, Mr John Traynor, who were both later released.

If he decides to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court it is unlikely that the appeal will be heard before the new year.