Ancient Order of Hibernians National President, Seamus Boyle, has called for the release of Brendan Lillis, a prisoner with severe health problems who is being held in Northern Ireland's Maghaberry Prison.
"Brendan Lillis is an Irish political prisoner and a sick man who is a threat to no one. The reason he is not being released on humanitarian grounds is because is that he is being used as a political ploy by the crown forces to keep the republican movement on their back foot," said Boyle in a strongly worded statement.
Added Boyle: "Why not go back less than a hundred years to 1916, strap him in a chair, and shoot him like James Connolly. That is the way the crown treats their enemies.
"The Good Friday Agreement was to bring peace and justice to all of Ireland but it seems that one side is doing all the work when both sides of the divide will be needed to end the conflict. Could it be that there are still those who do not want to see justice served?
"It is time the Irish, British governments and the political parties in Northern Ireland find the guts to say enough is enough. Release Brendan now before they have another disaster like we had thirty years ago when we lost ten heroes. For God's sake, wake up, this a human being suffering and who will definitely die if action is not taken immediately. Animals are cared for better than Brendan is being treated."
Boyle, who is originally from County Armagh, but who has lived for many years in Philadelphia, said that Irish America was watching and waiting for the right thing to be done.
"The AOH will not stand idly by and see this injustice. This man is being paraded as a threat to society. For God's sake he weighs less than 100 pounds, who is he a threat to? Release Brendan Immediately so he can receive proper medical attention and live at peace with his family," Boyle said.
Separately, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, called this week on North justice minister David Ford to release Lillis, who suffers from a severe arthritic condition.
"There can be no doubt that Brendan Lillis is seriously ill and does not represent a threat to anyone," McGuinness said.
"The decision of the British Secretary of State Owen Paterson to revoke the license of Brendan Lillis is reminiscent of internment without trial," he added.Lillis was sentenced to life in 1977 on explosives charges but was released on license in 1993. This was revoked in 2009 after he was re-arrested. Lillis was told that he was "a danger to the public" and was further told that he would have to serve the rest of his original life sentence in Maghaberry.
