BORDER FOX FREE IN SEVEN MONTHS; EXCLUSIVE Kidnapper O'Hare set to be released.

Byline: DECLAN FAHY

FRIENDS of Border Fox Dessie O'Hare believe Ireland's most notorious terrorist will be freed from prison next July.

O'Hare's associates in the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) said they expected him to be out of the Castlerea open jail in Co Roscommon on temporary release within seven months.

Willie Gallagher of the IRSP said: "We thought he should have been allowed out on Christmas parole

"We expect O'Hare would begin to be given temporary release next July with the intention of freeing him the following year. Dessie's war is over."

Meanwhile, prison officers last night told of their fury after your Irish Mirror exclusively revealed yesterday that O'Hare will enjoy private meetings in his low-security jail with a string of terrorist pals.

The notorious INLA gunman, who served 14 years in Portlaoise prison, has his own house instead of a cell.

O'Hare, 45, will meet visitors in a hut - without a prison officer present.

And a long line of former republican pals who served time with O'Hare in Portlaoise are waiting to visit him.

The move was approved by Michael McDowell but the Justice Minister said that no date has been fixed for his release.

O'Hare qualified for early release under the Good Friday Agreement because he is a member of the INLA.

A source said visitors to paramilitary prisoners in Castlerea are not searched before they enter.

Officers say there are serious security issues surrounding the unsupervised visits with the possibility their lives could be put in danger.

Prison Officers Association chief John Clinton told the Irish Mirror yesterday: "These prisoners are serving extremely lengthy sentences.

"Basically there will be a total lack of security. We think there should be some prison officer presence - purely for security reasons."

He said that in previous searches of the prison, drink and weapons were found.

In 2000, a prison officer was held captive in the house for a short period of time.

Clinton said officers wrote to the Castlerea governor outlining their strong concerns about private visits to prisoners in the houses.

He said: "Contraband goods smuggled in there find their way into the main prison. Staff should be present."

But the Governor has refused the requests, telling officers the idea behind the houses was to give the prisoners responsibility for their actions.

While there are no officers in the visiting hut, CCTV cameras are in operation. The Border Fox will have his own room in housing inside the prison known as The Grove.

He will have unlimited visits during the week until 6pm and can even order takeaway meals from the prison canteen.

O'Hare was jailed for 40 years for kidnapping and mutilating dentist John O'Grady.

He will share his home in the jail with another INLA torturer Declan Duffy, 27, who was jailed for his part in the "Ballymount bloodbath", a confrontation between a Dublin crime gang and the INLA.

The move to the relaxed security prison is the first stage in the run-up to the release.

It is believed he will be completely free in two years.

Chief Superintendent Bill Herlihy, who was in charge of the inquiry at the time, said O'Hare was "a very dangerous character".

He told RTE radio yesterday: "I would describe him as being a little bit mad rather than bad.

"It took the best part of a month before we found O'Grady in Cabra and took another few days before we found O'Hare."

Chief Supt Herlihy said that even though he believed O'Grady would have been killed had the Garda not found him, he now thinks O'Hare should be released.

He said: "I think everybody is entitled to a chance. He has served 14 years."

CAPTION(S):

FROM THIS; The high security at Portlaoise prison's tough D Block; ..TO THIS; The relaxed regime of Castlerea in Co Roscommon; DELIGHTED: Dessie O''Hare will be out soon