GARDAI yesterday released Pearse McCauley, a Co Tyrone man who escaped from Brixton Prison in London in 1991 and four other republicans who were arrested in Dublin last Sunday.
A file relating to a car, stolen in Monaghan, is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions but no other charges are expected to arise from the incident. The men were questioned at Kilmainham Garda station on Sunday released and immediately rearrested under Section 30 of the Defences Against the State Act. They were taken to the Bridewell, where they were further questioned. They were released yesterday afternoon.
All five have known connections with the IRA. One of the men, from Co Limerick, is believed to be a senior IRA figure.
McCauley is on bail awaiting the outcome of extradition proceedings. He escaped from Brixton Prison in July 1991 while he was awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to murder former brewery char an Sir Charles Tidbury.
He was arrested in April 1992 at Conolly Station, Dublin where he was in possession of an automatic pistol. In November 1993 he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for possession of the gun.
He was one of the IRA prisoners granted early release from Portlaoise Prison last year but was arrested and brought to court on a warrant seeking his extradition to England, where he faces the conspiracy charge and a further charge of escaping from custody.
