Belfast man jailed for IRA attack on Army barracks in Germany

A MAN from Northern Ireland has been convicted in Germany of attempted murder for participating in an IRA attack on a British Army barracks in the city of Osnabruck more than two decades ago.

The court said James Anthony Oliver Corry, a British citizen, had been sentenced to four years in prison.

The 48-year-old Belfast man was extradited from the Republic of Ireland last December to face charges.

He was convicted of being part of an IRA unit that fired three mortar shells on to the grounds of the Quebec Barracks in Osnabruck on June 28, 1996.

Only one of the shells detonated, damaging buildings and vehicles but injuring no one.

Corry — who played an RUC officer in the BBC film Precious Blood starring Amanda Burton, and a British Army squaddie in a Channel 4 production called High Boot Benny — had denied any involvement in terrorist activities.

Extradited: Oliver Corry

He had received support from Sinn Fein to fight his case.

Last year, former New Lodge man Corry was tracked down to his former home in Killorglin, Co Kerry.

He had been working as a lighting technician and had lived with his wife Christine in the quiet village for 20 years.

“The Germans are obviously pushing for this, I can’t explain what way they’re thinking,” the father-of-one said last year.

“They’ve got nearly a million refugees — it’s as if they didn’t have enough problems.

“Ask the Germans why they want me, tell them about the peace process.

“I don’t think the Germans are very aware of what’s been going on here.”

At the time, Corry also claimed that he was never involved with the IRA and had not received a so-called comfort letter for ‘onthe-runs’ from Britain.

The only person convicted over the attack was former soldier Michael Dickson, who was sentenced to six-and-a-half years’ jail for attempted murder.

Dickson, who was born in Greenock, Scotland, told the court at the outset of the trial that he had no experience in explosives.

In the Army he had learnt to build walls and bridges.

He served mainly in Germany, as well as six months in the Falklands.

The Osnabruck base had been attacked once before, in June 1989, for which ‘Angel of Death’ Donna Maguire was sentenced to nine years in prison in Germany in 1995. Her husband Leonard ‘Bap’ Hardy was jailed for six years for his role in the attack.