Hyde Park bombing suspect arrested over murder of 2 soldiers
A MAN whose trial over the 1982 Hyde Park bombing collapsed has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of two soldiers in Northern Ireland.
John Downey, 66, was detained last night over the murder of two members of the Ulster Defence Regiment in Enniskillen in 1972.
He was held by Gardai in Donegal, the Republic of Ireland, using a European Arrest Warrant. He is due to appear at Dublin High Court today.
His arrest comes amid rising anger at the witch-hunt against British soldiers over alleged offences committed during the Troubles – while terror suspects have escaped prosecution.
Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service confirmed last night a decision has been taken to prosecute a 66-yearold man for ‘the offence of murder and for aiding and abetting the causing of an explosion’.
Warrant: John Downey Proceedings were initiated in the High Court in Dublin … to seek the extradition of one man from the Republic of Ireland for trial in Northern Ireland.
‘One man was arrested in County Donegal this evening and is due to appear in court in Dublin tomorrow.’
Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s major investigation team, said: ‘The PSNI has been liaising closely with An Garda Siochana [the Irish police] and today’s arrest demonstrates the benefits of joint working between police forces and other national partner agencies.
‘The PSNI investigation into these murders remains active.’
Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston, 32, and Private James Eames, 33, were killed in 1972 when an IRA bomb exploded in a car they were checking at Enniskillen’s Cherrymount roundabout.
Mr Downey has always denied any involvement in the Hyde Park attack ten years later. In 2013, he was charged with murdering four Royal Household Cavalrymen in the blast.
He stood trial at the Old Bailey but the case collapsed under dramatic circumstances when it emerged that he was in possession of a ‘letter of comfort’ issued under the controversial On The Runs scheme. Downey had received the written assurance from Tony Blair’s Labour government that he was not wanted by the authorities.
But it was also revealed that the PSNI had uncovered evidence connecting him to the earlier attack in Enniskillen.
Trial judge Mr Justice Sweeney ruled that Mr Downey’s arrest at Gatwick airport, as he prepared to leave the UK on the way to a holiday, was an abuse of process.
He put a stay on any future prosecution in relation to the Hyde Park case. The episode led to a Government inquiry into the OTR scheme.
The soldiers killed by the Hyde Park bomb were Trooper Simon Tipper, 19, Lance Corporal Jeffrey Young, 19, Squadron Quartermaster Corporal Roy Bright, 36, and Lieutenant Anthony Daly, 23.
A car bomb exploded as they went from their Kensington barracks to a Changing Of The Guard ceremony.
‘Investigation remains active’