Taoiseach calls for 'proper justice' for Pte Seán Rooney on Lebanon visit

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has told Lebanese Prime Minister Mawaf Salam of the Irish Government’s “annoyance and anger” at Lebanon’s handling of the case of Private Seán Rooney, who was killed three years ago this month.

Mr Martin met with Mr Salam this morning, ahead of the Taoiseach’s visit to Irish peacekeeping troops at Camp Shamrock in South Lebanon.

Pte Rooney, a 24-year-old Dundalk native who had been living in Co Donegal, was shot dead on December 14, 2002, when the UN convoy he was travelling with came under fire in South Lebanon.

Pte Shane Kearney, a native of Killeagh in Co Cork who was then 22, was severely injured in the incident and had to be medically evacuated to Ireland. A number of other soldiers were also wounded in the incident.

In July of this year, a Lebanese military tribunal found six people guilty of the killing of Pte Rooney, and Mohammad Ayyad, identified as the main suspect, was sentenced to death in absentia, and fined approximately US $1,200.

Pte Rooney’s mother, Natasha Rooney, sharply criticised the verdict and the response from the Irish Government, describing the tribunal as “a sham”.

Speaking to reporters at Camp Shamrock on Saturday, Mr Martin said he had raised the matter with Mr Salam.

“I spoke to hm about our very significant concerns, and indeed annoyance and anger at the very slow pace of the criminal justice system, from the time of Seán Rooney’s death to the court decisions, and reaffirmed the value of the peacekeepers, the most noble role any individual can play, and that the necessity for accountability and responsibility has to be centre stage,” Mr Martin said.

He said such accountability would mean that the people responsible for the killing of Pte Rooney would be brought to “proper justice”, adding that the sentences imposed had been extremely lenient, and those convicted remained at large.

“It’s deeply, deeply unacceptable and unsatisfactory,” the Taoiseach added.

“To be fair, this new government [in Lebanon] has appealed the decision in the court, and [Mr Salam] took on board what I said and is particularly focussed on it, but also on the need for disarmament in the region and the decommissioning of weapons.” 

The two leaders also discussed the attack, on December 4, against Irish peacekeepers, when troops came under fire from local militia members.

Mr Martin later laid a wreath in Peacekeepers’ Square in Camp Shamrock, in memory of the 48 Irish soldiers to die on peacekeeping missions in Lebanon since 1978.

Tens of thousands of members of the Irish Defence Forces have served with UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) since 1978, with around 366 troops currently serving in Camp Shamrock.

The UN Security Council mandate for UNIFIL is due to expire by the end of 2026, with Irish troops currently expected to withdraw from Lebanon by 2027.