Anti-war demonstrators, with the backing of the Labour Party, are to hold a protest at Shannon Airport on Saturday to coincide with rallies in other major cities across the world.
Labour Party spokesperson on justice, Joe Costello
Labour Party spokesperson on justice, Joe Costello said today the event will give Irish people an opportunity to express their opposition to the ongoing use of the airport by US troops travelling to and from Iraq.
"We need only look at our newspapers and televisions over the past couple of days to see the shocking images from Basra about the toll this occupation has taken on human life on both sides of the conflict," he said.
He went to say that the Labour Party supports the call made by the Irish Anti-War Movement to end the passage of US troops through Shannon Airport.
"It is shameful that evidence of illegally held prisoners being transported to Guantanamo Bay via Shannon is being ignored by the Irish government," he added.
Green Party foreign affairs spokesman John Gormley also backed the protest saying:
"I believe that Ireland is being complicit in the war on Iraq by allowing the US to use Shannon airport, we are the only neutral country allowing its airspace to be used in this manner."
Mr Gormley also raised the threat of terrorist attack in Ireland. "Other countries that are participating in the war have been targeted by terrorists and it makes sense, from a terrorist's point of view, that Ireland could be a target also."