Tony Taylor freed, banned from political statements

Derry republican Tony Taylor, released as his internment by the British approached a significant one thousand days, was released this evening after a day of tense last-minute negotiations around the details of his release.

Restrictions placed on the lifelong republican political activist include a broad media censorship, as well as a threat of re-imprisonment if the British government believe he has breached his release ‘licence’, the details of which have not been released.

Speaking in a video clip uploaded to social media from their family home in Derry, Mr Taylor’s wife Lorraine, said: “I’m delighted to have Tony home. Thank God my nightmare is finally over. I’d just like to thank the people in Derry for their faith, for all their campaigning for Tony and for all their support through the two and a half years.

“It’s been a long process but I’m glad now they’ve made the decision to let him home. An early Christmas present for us all.”

Speaking off camera, Mr Taylor said he was delighted to be reunited with his family.

“Due to strict conditions on myself I have to be very careful what I say, I can’t really talk about my internment or anything around that at all,” he said.

“It’s great to be home again. It’s great to be here with my mother and father, I’m delighted to be back with them and I know that they’ve missed me a lot. They are up in age, I’ve always been there for them and I want to continue to do that.

“Between them and my own family, I’m sure I’ll be kept right and busy, my mother’s already got jobs for me and I’m only out a couple of hours. We’re all back together again and that’s the main thing.”

Urgent Appeal