Vigil to support McAliskey at Holloway Prison today

THE prisoners' campaign group, Fuascailt, will hold a candle-lit vigil outside Holloway Women's Prison in London this evening…

THE prisoners' campaign group, Fuascailt, will hold a candle-lit vigil outside Holloway Women's Prison in London this evening and a picket at Downing Street tomorrow.

They are demanding the release of Ms Roisin McAliskey and highlighting the treatment of Irish prisoners held in British jails.

The London vigil will coincide with a similar event in Coalisland, Co Tyrone tonight, organised by members of Ms McAliskey's family and friends.

Ms McAliskey is facing extradition to Germany, where the authorities allege she was part of an IRA gang which launched a mortar attack on the British army base at Osnabruck in June.

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Ms McAlskeys mother the former Mid Ulster MP, Ms Bernadette McAliskey, said. "The idea for the event has come from family and friends who want to show their solidarity for Roisin.

"Things can't get much worse for her, but it wouldn't surprise me if they do," she said.

A letter of support for Irish prisoners in Britain will be handed in to Downing Street by Fuascailt members. It will also contain a request for repatriation of all Irish prisoners, to serve the remainder of their sentences where they will be closer to their families.

A spokesman for the group, Mr Peter Middleton, said he expected at least 30 supporters at the Coalisland vigil, while at Downing Street he expected "there will probably be just a few because of the difficulties of travelling on Christmas Day".