Scottish extremist to be extradited on terror charges
A self-styled Scottish separatist is to be extradited back to Scotland, where he is wanted on terrorism charges, including making a hoax poison threat against former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The High Court has decided to extradite Adam Busby to face the charges relating to the telephoning of hoax bomb-warnings and poison threats to various Scottish newspapers and agencies between November 2009 and June 2010.
Mr Justice John Edwards said today that he would surrender the 64-year-old on all seven charges, one of which attracted a life sentence.
The father-of-two, who has multiple sclerosis and is confined to a wheelchair, has a last address at Santry Lodge, Ballymun, Dublin and was arrested a year ago on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.
The charges allege that Busby, purporting to be from the Scottish National Liberation Army, telephoned the Scottish Sun newspaper in Glasgow on September 27, 2009, and threatened to contaminate the drinking water of major UK towns and cities.
On December 20, 2009 it is alleged that he sent the same newspaper a text message claiming that various packages containing caustic and poisonous substances had been sent to public figures, including then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Other charges allege that on April 15, 2010 Busby telephoned the Press Association and the Samaritans in Glasgow claiming that bombs would detonate at the Argyll Arcade and the Hilton Hotel in the city.
On June 9, 2010 it is alleged that Busby telephoned the Edinburgh Evening News, the Scottish Daily Express and the Scottish Sun, claiming that bombs would detonate at the Forth Road Bridge in Edinburgh and the Erskine Bridge in Glasgow.
Busby had contested the extradition request on the basis that the alleged offences were committed outside of the UK and that he was resident in Ireland at the time.
Busby contended that, as he had been resident in Ireland for 30 years, his surrender to another EU member state when he could be prosecuted here, amounted to a gross irrational interference in his family life.
He also stated that he would face a much higher penalty in the UK than if he were prosecuted in Ireland, something with which he said he had no difficulty.
He argued that the application amounted to an abuse of process as the authorities had previously sought to prosecute him on similar offences.
Mr Justice Edwards said yesterday that the fact that he was going to be exposed to a higher penalty in Scotland would not constitute an abuse of process.
He said that counsel for the Justice Minister had argued that these were result-type offences and that the result had been felt in Scotland.
He said that it was legitimate to argue that because the results were felt in Scotland, the Scots could legitimately claim jurisdiction.
He said that one offence was characterised as threats and had a maximum sentence of life in prison.
He said another offence had been labelled hoaxes involving noxious substances and that the remaining four offences included bomb hoaxes.
He noted that each of the bomb hoaxes carried a penalty of up to seven years imprisonment.
“What was done, if done as alleged, was intended to terrorise,” he said.
He then made an order for the surrender of Busby under the European Arrest Warrant Act and remanded him in custody to Cloverhill Prison.
