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AN IRISHMAN WHOSE conviction for trying to smuggle arms from Lithuania to the Real IRA was overturned is to face a retrial.
Michael Campbell was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2011 but the conviction was overturned last October when an appeals court cited a lack of evidence.
But an expanded seven judge panel of the Lithuanian Supreme Court have now ordered a retrial, saying that it is “necessary to assess all the peculiarities of the case”.
Campbell has long insisted he was framed by British intelligence and the appeals court last October had said that there was no evidence linking him with the Real IRA.
In the latest twist in the case, the Supreme Court panel said that the appeals court gave a “contradictory” assessment of intelligence witnesses.
“The panel decided to annul the verdict of 2 October, 2013, and refer the case to an appeals court,” judge Gintaras Goda said, reading the verdict.
The 41-year-old Campbell, who currently lives in Ireland, did not come to Vilnius for verdict.
His lawyers and prosecutor did not appear either, and they could not be immediately reached for a comment.
“The court of appeals groundlessly downgraded part of evidence and by giving priority to testimony of the acquitted person,” prosecutor Gedgaudas Norkunas told the court in a hearing last month.
Campbell’s lawyer Ingrida Botyriene rejected the prosecutor’s arguments, telling the court that “provoked activity cannot be recognised as criminal”.
Campbell went on trial in August 2009 after having been arrested in a January 2008 sting in Vilnius, where he met a Lithuanian agent posing as an arms dealer. He denied being a member of the Real IRA.
Campbell’s brother Liam was one of four Real IRA leaders found liable by a civil court for a 1998 Omagh bombing that killed 29 people.
- Additional reporting by © – AFP 2014
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Ship him out there ASAP .
Subjudicy! Does the journal pick and choose what people can comment on? Comments on this should be closed!
Trial not in this jurisdiction. If the Journal has a large readership amongst potential jurors in Lithuania then yes, but I think not….
He will be eligible to run for SF in the next election if he gets off. They are looking for people with similar values to help get a majority in the Dail.
Moron, look up dissident republican on Google and tell me if they and SF get on.
its scary that you are that ignorant but whats even mroe scary is there is 49 people just like you
He would be opposed to the peace process so would have no involvement with sinn fein. If you had the first idea about recent history in ireland you would know that. Thanks for the comment though it very much shows up the kind of halfwit who tries to blame everything that happens on sinn fein.
Good.
Excellent
Link is to judgement in Lithuanian.. Big Lithuanian readership for the Journal?
@Fluich It, should Lithuanian not be among your list of competences, you could translate it perhaps?
there are some by the way
Lol, that pic looks like he won at the special Olympics
Looks like an average resident of Dundalk..
What about his chins, are they being tried as well!
So they over turn verdict due to lack of evidence and then decide retrial. Smells a tad fishy to me.
If i was him i would fight this sham of justice and sue them.
Sham of justice? He was found guilty, he appealed and won and was therefore realised. The prosecutor appealed that verdict & got a retrial. The benefit of the doubt has remained with the defendant throughout – the prosecutor’s successful appeal did not result in conviction, only retrial. Seems perfectly above board to me.
Just search youtube for the original video – you may change your opinion of him then….
Is that his Mensa application form he is clutching?
I detest all IRAs but should the comments section be open?
So you detest all loyalist paramilitaries equally?
I dont….they were an necessary evil
Ah the morality of the Patrick Lyons, there is lots to detest but you should start with your beloved England who is one of the biggest manufacturers and exporters of arms including nuclear weapons, sellefield isn’t just for heating homes. If you want to point the finger, point it at all the players because selective hatred will leave you bitter and bigoted.
Well Pickart – you will have no problem here as the man concerned is not a member of The IRA .
For your added information The IRA has not been operating since before 1997 .
They are a party to the GFA and are not involved in any activity of a paramilitary nature.
This man is apparently A Dissident and is opposed to The GFA & The IRA .
You would find it very hard to find a Republican to agree with his ambitions for that very reason !
You are mistaking the Ira with the provos….
Allegedly at that Ciarraioch. They haven’t even got a link between him and Real IRA.
Karen – you are quite correct .
They are a gangster outfit – sometimes called Dissidents – Those type of people hate the IRA & The GFA !
mad how seamus gets red thumbed for stating a fact,would anyone care to explain what this disliked about his comment or is it just the way he lets actual facts get in the way prejudice ??
Ira never signed up to the GFA….provos did
Seamus – That statement is not only inaccurate , it is plain silly as well .
You need to read up on your facts of history , a chara ?
there is alot of true genuine republicans who oppose the gfa and british occupation in ireland.years ago they were called irish patriots,but now the are called dissidents and terrorists by the media and the sheep who follow.sinn fein and the provisional ira do not speak for everyone.the current ira have as much right to fight for the cause that the provisionals and sinn fein fought for until they were bought over.while britain occupies ireland there will indeed be an ira.im not a criminal i am a loyal republican to the cause,like many many others and give my full support to the IRA and support our POWS..beidh ar lá linn..
Never a truer word spoken
Emmet – Let me remind you again that in 1997, a sacred Declaration was voted upon by the people of the Whole of Ireland – It was widely known as The GFA or The Good Friday Agreement .
Resulting from that agreement being passed in an overall huge majority, the IRA took a decision , overwhelmingly too, to suspend all future activities and to underwrite The GFA .
Emmet – there is no other way to serve Ireland, but to Honour this Agreement , as the huge majority have Voted in its favour .
If you oppose it , you cannot be a Republican , as Republicans are supportive entirely of the decision taken by the huge majority of the Irish Nation.
So it’s up to you to decide ? Are you on the side of Loyalists – who oppose the Agreement ? Or are you in support of The Republican Movement ?
Campbell obviously isn’t – he left The Republican Movement and became a Dissident ! – no ifs no buts !
Blowing up innocent people isn’t patriotic its sick. How can you except to be a liberator when you kill the very people your supposed to be liberating? The IRA were never big into fighting anyway, its easy to “fight” when your at a safe distance and all your doing is pushing a button. I doubt the real patriots if the past would be proud of any of these bombings or activities done be the so called “IRA”
“Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone” and all of that…
Provos aren’t republican….they quit in 86 and took the Free State route….by participating in British rule in the 6 counties they are reinforcing the Queen’s rule in Ireland….True Republicans follow the All Ireland Dail of 1918….and that’s all there is to it.
Seamus, enough people have died in the pursuit of Irish freedom. A united ireland will be achieved through peaceful means. Dissidents only slow this process down.
The thing with the dissidents is they don’t care anymore about a untied Ireland.
They are addicted to the power and violence. This is evident by the fact they are now a drug gang fighting for control of the drugs trade. They are no different from the Dublin and limerick drug gangs. Absolute Sc umbags. And cowards too.
Seamus – Please explain – “they quit in ’86 ” please ?
Your grasp of Irish History seems very poor !
Is that his (real) face
Great news but bit of common sense this time please.
Seamus
Do you have a pulse because you don’t have a brain.
Angelo….I have both and a lot of sense too….but you have spent far too long at the bottom of your pint of guinness if the best you can do is fire insults and not argue a point….
There is nothing to argue. The people you support blow up innocent children.
If and if Oh ya and if. My Balls are sick to death of so called republicanism and I know we know. .. truth is not many people really know the truth. IRA UVF UDR PROVOS RIRA.ect ect.. All shite talkers. All they want is control drugs guns cigs alcohol diesel fireworkd. MONEY MONEY MONEY.
What’s the Paddy Power odds that Michael will appear in Lithuania to face a retrial ?
Seamus
Doctor, we need you to fix Seamus
Typical of the barrack room lawyers reading the Journal, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence, he maintained he had nothing to do with the IRA and, last time I looked, there is a presumption that he is innocent until proven guilty, which is not the case here.
If the State is going to make us liable for the crimes of our relatives the Joy will be even more overcrowded.
have your say