A Northern Ireland man has been jailed for four years in Germany for his role in an IRA attack on a British Army Barracks in Osnabrueck 21 years ago.

Identified in Irish newspapers as James Corry, the Belfast-born defendant was convicted of attempted murder for his role in the attack on 28 June 1996.

Corry and at least four other accomplices parked a truck with an improvised launch battery outside British barracks in Osnabrueck, in northwestern Germany, and fired three shells - only one of which detonated.

Nobody was injured in the attack, but thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused - equivalent to about €95,000 (£84,000) in today's money.

"It was only thanks to chance that no one was harmed," the court said.


Image: The defendant with his lawyer during the trial

German authorities arrested Corry last December after his extradition from Ireland.

He admitted the crime during a trial in July, but said he was no longer involved in the IRA.

The court in Osnabrueck said it had waived one year due to an unlawful procedural delay.