TerrorismScottish terrorist appealing against extradition to Scotland

SNLA was formed in 1979 to bring independence to Scotland // Source: kpinet.com

An effort to extradite a Adam Busby, an alleged Tartan terrorist (members of the Scottish National Liberation Army [SNLA] have sometimes been dubbed “Tartan terrorists”) from Ireland for threatening to poison former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, himself a Scot, and contaminate the water supplies of English cities has so far failed. The Scotsman reports that in July last year, a judge in Dublin told Busby, 64, that he would have to return to Scotland to face the terror charges.

Busby, the founder of the SNLA, was arrested in Dublin in 2010, but has vigorously fought efforts to extradite him to Scotland. He has now appealed to Ireland’s Supreme Court against the extradition order which the Dublin judged granted in July.

Legal analysts say it will take at least six months, probably more, for his case to be heard.

The Irish police say Busby, who has been in custody in Dublin for three years now, made hoax calls to media groups in Edinburgh and Glasgow and to the Samaritans charitable organization, threatening “to contaminate the drinking water supplies of major English towns and cities with a noxious substance.”

The policy say he also told a newspaper that packages containing caustic, poisonous, or other noxious substances had been sent to various political leaders including Brown, who was prime minister at the time.

The warrant also alleges that Busby called several news groups in 2010, claiming that bombs had been placed at various bridges, including the Forth Road Bridge and Erskine Bridge.

Busby is also accused of phoning the Glasgow branch of the Samaritans and claiming a bomb was placed at the city’s Hilton Hotel.

The Scotsman notes that Busby’s lawyers have argued that as he had been resident in Ireland for more than thirty years, he should be tried in an Irish court.

They also argue that if he were to stand trial in a U.K. court, he would likely face a much higher penalty than if he were prosecuted in Ireland.

At the High Court in Dublin last year Mr. Justice Edwards said the fact he was going to be exposed to a higher penalty in Scotland would not constitute an abuse of process. Justice Edwards said it was legitimate to argue that because the results of Busby’s alleged actions were felt in Scotland, the Scots could legitimately claim jurisdiction.

Judge Edwards also noted that one offense was characterized as threats and had a maximum sentence of life in prison. He said another offense had been labelled hoaxes involving noxious substances and that the remaining four offenses included bomb hoaxes.

The judge noted that each of the hoaxes carried a penalty of up to seven years imprisonment.

Ordering the surrender of Busby under the European Arrest Warrant, Judge Edwards said: “What was done, if done as alleged, was intended to terrorize.”

Mr. Justice Edwards then ordered the surrender of Busby under the European Arrest Warrant Act and remanded him in custody to Cloverhill Prison in Dublin.

Busby was born and raised in Paisley, Renfrewshire, but moved to Ireland in 1980.

The Scotsman notes that he is also wanted in the United States for making alleged bomb threats to the University of Pittsburgh last year.

U.S. prosecutors have said they want him extradited to the United States after any Scottish case is concluded.

David J Hickton, a U.S. attorney, said last year: “We remain interested in extraditing Adam Busby to hold him responsible for the indicted crimes here and have taken active steps to secure his presence.

“We stand in line behind Scotland, which has a prior interest and rights to proceed with Mr. Busby for crimes committed there.”