A team of Garda detectives and forensic experts are to travel to Lebanon over the coming days to assist in the military investigation into the murder of Pte Seán Rooney.
The 24-year-old soldier was shot dead when his UN vehicle was attacked by an armed group in Al-Aqbieh during a routine journey to Beirut airport. Trooper Shane Kearney remains in a critical condition following the attack while two other Irish soldiers suffered more minor injuries.
Three Defence Forces military police personnel and one legal officer have deployed to the country to assist in the Irish investigation and liaison is ongoing with An Garda Síochána about it providing assistance. Another four psychological support personnel have also deployed.
Over the next few days they will be joined by a delegation of gardaí who will “act in a liaison role with local law enforcement and other agencies investigating the attack on Irish UN peacekeepers on Wednesday night”, a Garda spokesman said on Friday.
Military court in Beirut holds first trial hearing into killing of Private Seán Rooney
Lebanese court charges five Hizbullah members with killing Private Seán Rooney
Tánaiste pays tribute to Pte Seán Rooney at memorial for fallen Irish soldiers in South Lebanon
UN peacekeeping force completes investigation into attack that killed Irish soldier
The group will be made up of officers from the Garda National Bureau of Crime Investigation and the Garda Technical Bureau.
One focus of the investigation will be exactly how Pte Rooney was killed. Preliminary investigations show the fatal shot was fired through a rear window or through an open rear door, indicating a more targeted killing rather than random gunfire.
A number of assault rifle-style rounds have been recovered from the vehicle. It is not known if Irish Army personnel returned fire during the incident or if their weapons have since been recovered. A Defence Forces spokesman said its investigation will cover this matter and declined to comment further.
Separately, the Air Corps is to deploy an aircraft to the region where it will remain on standby to repatriate Pte Rooney’s remains. This may take several days as the remains have to undergo a postmortem in Lebanon first.
Ireland’s Ambassador to Egypt Nuala O’Brien has travelled to Lebanon to assist Irish officials as tributes continued to pour in for the dead and injured men on Friday. Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney visited the Rooney family in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Friday said Ireland is determined to establish the truth in relation to the incident but that this may be challenging.
“The environment is difficult. The environment is challenging. And as we know, now, with the terrible cost, it’s clearly a tense situation,” he told reporters.
“These investigations have to be very comprehensive. We are determined to get the truth.”
Lieut Col Frank Colclough, commanding officer of Pte Rooney’s home unit, the 27th Infantry Battalion in Dundalk, paid tribute to the soldier on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Friday, describing him as a “big member of a tight-knit community of military personnel in Dundalk, where everyone knows each other, and is very involved in sports in the town”.
He said Pte Rooney had “so many courses and qualifications completed for his age and length of service”.
Pte Rooney was driving two soldiers to the airport who were due to go home on compassionate leave following deaths in their extended families when the attack occurred.
Trooper Kearney remains in a serious condition in a UN-controlled hospital in Lebanon where he is accompanied by a Defences Forces chaplain and medical officer. His condition is still too unstable to return him home but this may be an option in the coming week, a defence source said. The two other injured troops continue to receive treatment.
Unifil peacekeepers are continuing with active patrols amid heightened security measures. Unifil spokesman Andrea Tenenti said on Friday it is vital for the Lebanese authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
