the British Army's Royal Engineers. Dickson had served in several British bases in Germany, but never in Northern Ireland. Róisín McAliskey (daughter of republican activist Bernadette Devlin McAliskey) and Jimmy Corrie were also suspected of being members of the cell. The primary aim of the IRA with these events was reportedly to establish a permanent presence in mainland Europe. Aftermath John Major, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said that the assault showed how the IRA and Sinn Féin were isolating themselves from the peace process. John Bruton, Taoiseach of Ireland, described the IRA strategy as "utterly pointless". Whereas in 1994–95, the British Conservative Party government had refused to enter public talks with Sinn Féin until the IRA had given up its weapons, the Labour Party government in power by 1997 was prepared to include Sinn Féin in peace talks before IRA decommissioning. This precondition was officially dropped in June 1997. Michael Dickson was arrested in December 2002 on an international arrest warrant relating to the 1996 mortar attack whilst he was driving a lorry-load of contraband cigarettes and tobacco at Ruzyne Airport in the Czech Republic. He was extradited to Germany and sentenced to six and a half years for attempted murder and setting off an explosion. He served his sentence in Celle maximum security prison in Germany, and was released after serving 27 months of his sentence. Róisin McAliskey battled successfully against the extradition warrant issued by Germany. See also 1985 Newry mortar attack 1994 British Army Lynx shootdown Barrack buster Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1990–1999) Downing Street mortar attack References 20th-century history of the British Army 20th century in Lower Saxony 1996 crimes in Germany 1996 in military history Attacks on buildings and structures in Germany Attacks on military installations in the 1990s Battles and conflicts without fatalities British forces in Germany Conflicts in 1996 Crime in Lower Saxony Explosions in 1996 Improvised explosive device bombings in Germany June 1996 events in Europe Military actions and engagements during the Troubles (Northern Ireland) Osnabrück Provisional Irish Republican Army actions Provisional Irish Republican Army actions in continental Europe Terrorist incidents in Germany