Irish government receives UN inquiry into killing of Private Seán Rooney

A United Nations inquiry into the death of Private Seán Rooney in Lebanon has been shared with the Irish government.

The 23-year-old Private Rooney was driving an armoured jeep when a UN peacekeeping convoy in which he was traveling came under attack in the south Lebanon town of Al-Aqbiya last December.

A series of separate investigations were launched in the wake of the incident.

Last week, Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú tabled a Parliamentary Question to the the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, asking for an update on the progress.

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Minister Martin told the Sinn Féin TD that he has ‘consistently expressed my determination that all of the facts and circumstances of the incident are fully established and that no stone is left unturned to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice’.

He outlined how he visited Lebanon in January and impressed upon his Lebanese counterparts the need to ensure that the investigation was as thorough and complete as possible.

Last month, Minister Martin met with the Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, in New York at the UN General Assembly and raised the matter.

"Through the Embassy in Cairo and the Consulate in Beirut, the Irish Government has maintained close diplomatic contact with the Lebanese authorities in relation to the progress of the Lebanese criminal investigation,” Minister Martin said.

In July, a preliminary hearing into the killing was adjourned and in August Mohammad Ayyad, who appeared before a military court hearing in Beirut, admitted to firing a gun during the attack.

Ayyad is one of five men charged with involvement in the fatal attack that saw the UN peacekeeping convoy Private Rooney was travelling in come under attack in the south Lebanon town of Al-Aqbiya.

The other four men - Ali Khalifeh, Ali Salman, Hussein Salman, and Mustafa Salman - remain at large.

Ayyad, who appeared before five judges, admitted to firing a gun, but he has denied involvement in Hezbollah, a militant group that dominates the area around Al-Aqbiya.

Brigadier General Khalil Ali Jaber adjourned the hearing until December 15, 2023.

Minister Martin said: “Representatives from the Embassy in Cairo and the Consulate in Beirut have attended all hearings to date. In addition, my Department has engaged a Lebanese legal firm to represent the interests and concerns of the Irish Government at the court hearings.

"Given that this matter is now before the Lebanese judicial system, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time. However, I can assure the House that my Department, the Embassy in Cairo, the Consulate in Beirut and I will continue to monitor developments very closely.”

Minister Martin confirmed that a UN inquiry has been concluded and he added: “ As this is an internal report of the United Nations, it may not be shared with third parties or made public in any form, either in whole or in part. Consequently, the final report of the Board of Inquiry will not be published. It has, however, been shared with Ireland for official use only."

Private Rooney, a Dundalk native who had lived in Newtowncunningham for the past decade, was shot dead and his colleague Trooper Shane Kearney seriously wounded in the attack.