Séamus McElwaine judge describing him as a "dangerous killer" and recommending he spend at least 30 years in prison. On 25 September 1983, McElwaine was involved in the Maze Prison escape, the largest break-out of prisoners in Europe since World War II and in British prison history. 38 republican prisoners, armed with 6 handguns, hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out of the Maze prison. After the escape he joined an IRA Active Service Unit operating in the area of the border between Counties Monaghan and Fermanagh. The unit targeted police and military patrols with gun and bomb attacks,
Agodi prison break with force, beating up the officer with an attempt to release other prisoners from their cells. Police arrived at the scene to curtail the incipient prison break and this resulted in a clash between the inmates and the police. This resulted in the death of eight prisoners and injury of eighteen others. The prison break was unsuccessful as no prisoner was able to escaped from the prison. Mauren Omeli, the Oyo state prison controller general who confirm the attack claimed that the aggrieved prisoners attempted to escape over the fear of inadequate medical care. Agodi prison break The Agodi prison