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Angelo Fusco

Angelo Fusco (born 2 September 1956) is a -born individual of descent who served as a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army's (PIRA) Brigade during , participating in the unit known as the "M60 gang" responsible for multiple armed attacks, including the 1980 ambush that killed Captain , the highest-ranking to die by PIRA action. Convicted in absentia of murder and other charges, Fusco escaped from Crumlin Road Courthouse in on 10 June 1981 alongside seven other PIRA prisoners by overpowering guards and fleeing to the , where he resided for decades while contesting extradition efforts. Fusco's early involvement with the PIRA began as a teenager in west , where he grew up in a family operating a , and he became part of the gang, named for the used in their operations targeting . The gang's actions included the fatal shooting of Westmacott during a May 1980 incident in , for which Fusco and associates faced starting in May 1981, but the preempted verdicts until convictions were issued . Following the , Fusco evaded recapture for years, serving time intermittently in Irish prisons and engaging in prolonged legal battles against to , culminating in a 2000 royal that released him from outstanding sentences. In later years, Fusco settled in the , but his past continued to draw scrutiny, as evidenced by a court refusal of a application due to his "murderous" criminal history involving serious offenses in multiple jurisdictions. This episode underscored ongoing concerns over former PIRA members' access to firearms, despite claims of intent for , reflecting persistent security evaluations of individuals linked to the group's violent campaign that resulted in thousands of deaths.

Early Life

Family Background and Upbringing

Angelo Fusco was born in 1956 in west , , to parents of descent. His family owned and operated a in the city, a common enterprise among Italian immigrant communities in the region during the mid-20th century. Fusco was raised in the stronghold of west , an area marked by sectarian tensions and strong support for amid the emerging . The family's heritage traced back to earlier waves of migration from to , though specific details on his parents' origins or the exact establishment of the remain undocumented in available records. His upbringing in this environment, characterized by economic reliance on the family trade and proximity to political unrest, preceded his later involvement in paramilitary activities.

IRA Involvement

Recruitment and Initial Activities

Angelo Fusco, born on 2 September 1956 to a of descent operating a in west —a republican stronghold amid escalating —joined the Brigade of the () as a teenager during the early phase of . His enlistment mirrored the pattern observed in similar neighborhoods, where adolescents from Catholic communities responded to perceived threats from British military presence, loyalist paramilitaries, and security force operations, though specific mechanisms of his recruitment, such as personal contacts or local organizing, are not detailed in contemporaneous accounts. As a junior volunteer, Fusco's initial activities centered on supporting the brigade's operational tempo in west Belfast, including reconnaissance and auxiliary roles in ambushes against patrols, prior to his assignment to a specialized (ASU) in the late . These early efforts contributed to the IRA's strategy of disrupting security force mobility in urban areas, reflecting the brigade's focus on tactics developed amid intensified counter-insurgency measures like and house raids. By the close of the , Fusco had integrated into a four-man ASU alongside figures such as and , marking the transition from foundational duties to more targeted engagements with heavy weaponry.

Participation in the M-60 Group

Angelo Fusco served as a volunteer in a four-man Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) active service unit of the Belfast Brigade, informally known as the "M60 gang" for its repeated use of a smuggled American M60 general-purpose machine gun in ambushes against British security forces during early 1980. The unit, comprising Fusco alongside Joe Doherty, Paul Magee, and Séamus Campbell, conducted hit-and-run attacks primarily targeting Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and British Army patrols in west Belfast neighborhoods such as Andersonstown and Turf Lodge. This weapon, capable of firing 500-600 rounds per minute and fed by 100-round belts, provided suppressive fire in these operations, marking a tactical shift for the IRA toward heavier firepower acquired through international arms smuggling networks. The group's activities peaked in spring 1980, with ambushes that collectively resulted in the deaths of eight security force personnel, including RUC officers and soldiers, through sustained bursts from the often exceeding 100 rounds per engagement. Fusco's participation involved logistical support, , and direct involvement in firing positions during these assaults, as evidenced by his subsequent joint with unit members for multiple charges stemming from the operations. The unit's effectiveness derived from exploiting urban terrain for quick setups and escapes, though intelligence later attributed the M60's acquisition to IRA contacts in the United States, highlighting vulnerabilities in . Following the attacks, the unit disbanded after sustaining casualties and arrests, but Fusco and others evaded capture initially, with the recovered by authorities in a subsequent . The group's operations drew internal praise for their lethality but also escalated counterinsurgency measures, including increased deployments in . Fusco faced in 1981 alongside Doherty and Magee for and related to these actions, reflecting the unit's coordinated structure under Northern Command oversight.

Key Criminal Acts

Killing of SAS Captain Herbert Westmacott

On 2 May 1980, a Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) unit consisting of Angelo Fusco, Joe Doherty, Robert Campbell, and Paul Magee was hiding in a house on the Antrim Road in north Belfast. The group, known as the "M60 gang" for their use of a stolen M60 machine gun, had been directed by the PIRA to occupy the location as part of ongoing operations during the Troubles. An eight-man SAS patrol, led by 28-year-old Captain Herbert Westmacott of the Grenadier Guards serving undercover with the SAS, approached the house to conduct a raid. As the team reached the front of the house, the PIRA members opened fire from an upstairs window using the , striking Westmacott in the head and shoulder. He died instantly from the wounds, becoming the highest-ranking SAS officer killed in during the conflict. The gunfire initiated a prolonged , during which the remaining SAS members took cover and reinforcements arrived, but the focus of the incident's initial phase was the fatal ambush on Westmacott. Fusco, along with Doherty, Campbell, and Magee, participated in the shooting that killed Westmacott. The four were later convicted in June 1981 by a court of murder and sentenced to for their roles in the killing. Fusco escaped from Crumlin Road Prison two days before the trial's conclusion, evading immediate custody. Westmacott was posthumously awarded the for gallantry in operations from February to April 1980, prior to the incident.

Arrest and Trial

Fusco was arrested in in 1980 as one of eight members of the Provisional IRA's "M60 gang," following a shootout with British troops during which SAS Captain was killed on April 9. The group faced charges related to Westmacott's murder, carried out using a stolen during the SAS raid on an IRA safehouse in the Anderson Street area. The trial of Fusco and his co-accused began in early May 1981 at , with the defendants charged with murder and firearms offenses connected to the ambush. Fusco, one of four men ultimately convicted for Westmacott's killing—the highest-ranking officer killed in —did not appear for the proceedings after escaping custody on June 10, 1981. On June 12, 1981, Fusco was convicted and sentenced to , with the judge recommending a minimum term of 30 years. He has served no time for this conviction, having evaded capture in .

Escape and Evasion

The 1981 Courthouse Escape

On June 10, 1981, Angelo Fusco, then awaiting trial for the 1980 killing of Captain , participated in an armed escape from Crumlin Road Courthouse in alongside seven other () prisoners on remand. The group, which included figures such as and , had smuggled three pistols into the facility prior to the breakout. The unfolded during a routine transfer within the heavily fortified complex, where the prisoners overpowered guards, seized additional weapons, and initiated a to the perimeter. Undercover officers and prison staff returned fire as the escapees forced their way through the front gates and into adjacent streets, with reports of sustained gunfire exchanges but no immediate fatalities among security personnel. The British authorities described the fugitives as among the IRA's most dangerous operatives, highlighting the security 's severity in a period of heightened activity. The timing was critical for Fusco, occurring two days before his scheduled conviction hearing; on June 12, 1981, he was tried and sentenced to with a recommended minimum term of 30 years for Westmacott's , along with additional lengthy sentences for firearms offenses. All eight escapees evaded initial recapture, dispersing into sympathetic areas of before Fusco and others crossed the border into the , where extradition resistance enabled prolonged evasion. The incident underscored vulnerabilities in Northern Ireland's judicial security amid , prompting reviews of prison protocols but yielding no immediate arrests of the group.

Time on the Run

Following his escape from Crumlin Road Courthouse in on 10 June 1981, Fusco crossed the border into the , evading capture by British security forces for approximately seven months. He settled in , , where he adopted a low-profile lifestyle, including engaging in salmon fishing to sustain himself. During this period, Fusco avoided detection by residing in the , where extradition to for IRA-related offenses faced legal hurdles under the Republic's constitutional provisions excluding political offenses. No verified reports indicate active involvement in further IRA operations, with his evasion relying on the jurisdictional and minimal public visibility rather than documented tactics such as disguises or safe houses. Fusco's fugitive status ended with his arrest by Gardaí in in January 1982, during which authorities recovered firearms linked to offenses committed in support of his evasion. This capture highlighted the challenges of cross-border pursuit amid differing legal frameworks between and the .

Capture and Legal Battles

Arrest in the Republic of Ireland

Following his escape from Crumlin Road Prison in Belfast on June 10, 1981, Angelo Fusco crossed the border into the , evading capture for approximately seven months. He was arrested by officers in , , on January 18, 1982, during a search operation led by Sergeant Callaghan, who was acting on a warrant. The arrest stemmed from intelligence regarding his presence and suspected involvement in firearms-related activities south of the border, though specific details of items seized at the time remain limited in public records. Fusco was subsequently charged in the with offences related to the and illegal possession of firearms, reflecting the jurisdictional focus on his activities post-escape rather than prior Northern Irish convictions. He received a ten-year sentence for these charges, which he served in an Irish prison, during which he attempted another escape. This period marked the initial phase of prolonged legal entanglements over his status as a from authorities.

Extradition Proceedings and Outcomes

Fusco was arrested by Gardaí in , , on January 18, 1982, following his escape from Crumlin Road Prison in . Although the authorities could have initiated proceedings at that time, they did not, reportedly due to anticipated legal challenges under Irish law excluding political offences. He was convicted in the and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for the prison escape and related firearms offences, serving his term primarily at . Upon his release with remission in December 1992, Fusco was immediately served with extradition warrants issued by the Royal Ulster Constabulary under Ireland's Extradition Act 1965 (as amended), seeking his return to to serve the outstanding life sentence for the 1980 murder of Captain . The District Court in initially granted the order, but Fusco appealed to the , which in 1995 ruled in his favor, quashing the order on grounds of procedural irregularities and undue delay in executing the warrants. The Irish state appealed this decision to the , which in February 1998 unanimously overturned the ruling, validating the original District Court order and mandating Fusco's . Following the Supreme Court's decision, Fusco absconded and remained at large for nearly two years, evading capture until January 4, 2000, when he was arrested in by Gardaí acting on the standing . He was briefly held in custody and prepared for transfer to , but en route to the border, a last-minute halted the process, granting leave for a challenging the on grounds, including claims of potential unfair treatment in British custody. The refused bail, remanding Fusco back to pending the review. In November 2000, the Irish state informed the that it would not pursue the of Fusco or fellow escaper Artt, effectively abandoning the proceedings amid ongoing legal delays and evolving political contexts post-Good Friday Agreement. This decision allowed Fusco to remain in the without serving the remainder of his Northern Irish sentence, marking the conclusion of over eight years of protracted litigation. The outcome drew criticism from unionist politicians and victims' families, who argued it undermined cross-border justice mechanisms, while republican sources viewed it as a vindication against perceived British overreach.

Later Life and Controversies

Life After Release

Following the exhaustion of extradition attempts from and the granting of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy—facilitated by provisions linked to the —Fusco was permitted to reside freely in the without further legal pursuit related to his 1981 convictions. This resolution came after repeated court challenges, including successful appeals that halted his handover to authorities in . Fusco settled in Kilflynn, , where he has maintained a low-profile existence. He is married and a grandfather to eight children. His occupation is that of a painter and decorator, and he lives rurally, keeping as part of his daily routine. No subsequent involvement in activities has been documented, and he has reported no interactions with Gardaí since his release.

Firearms License Denial and Public Backlash

In 2016, Angelo Fusco, residing in Kilflynn, , applied for a firearm certificate for a Baikal , stating the purpose was to control foxes on his farm and participate in local activities. The application was initially refused by Superintendent Jim O'Connor, who cited concerns over Fusco's history of involvement in paramilitary violence, including convictions for and firearms offenses during . Fusco appealed the refusal to District Court, where TD provided a character reference and testified in support, describing Fusco as reformed and integrated into community life since his release from . On May 22, 2018, Judge David Waters dismissed the appeal, ruling that granting the licence would pose an unacceptable risk to public safety given Fusco's "murderous past," specifically referencing his role in the 1980 killing of Captain using a and subsequent escape from custody. The application and Sinn Féin's endorsement drew sharp public criticism, with commentators decrying the "brass-neck" audacity of a convicted murderer seeking legal access to firearms after a history of deploying them in lethal operations. Unionist figures and victims' advocates expressed outrage over the prospect, highlighting inconsistencies in post-conflict licensing standards and arguing that Fusco's affiliations—despite his release under the —warranted permanent disqualification from firearm possession to prevent potential recidivism or symbolic endorsement of past violence. No widespread protests occurred, but media coverage amplified concerns that approving the licence could undermine public confidence in vetting processes for individuals with serious criminal records tied to organized armed groups.

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