The pursuit of justice for Irish soldier Seán Rooney, tragically killed during a UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, continues to be a profound source of anguish for his family, despite recent court proceedings.
Twenty-four-year-old Rooney’s death marked a somber milestone as the first Irish soldier to perish on UN duty in Lebanon in over two decades, an incident that also left three other service members wounded.
Natasha Rooney, Seán’s mother, has openly expressed the family’s “extreme disappointment and heartbreak” regarding the Lebanese court proceedings, labelling the trial a “sham” and casting significant doubt on its legitimacy.
The central figure in the case, Mohammad Ayyad, was handed a death sentence, though reports indicate his absence from Monday’s court session further complicates the perceived fairness of the judgment.
UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, confirmed that Lebanon’s permanent military court found six individuals guilty in connection with Rooney’s killing, while one person was acquitted. However, the family contends they are “forced to believe the answers provided by a Lebanese justice system which from the outset has failed to hold those responsible to account.”
Adding to the international dimension, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, voiced “deep frustration at the slow pace of proceedings” before the Lebanese Military Tribunal, reflecting diplomatic concerns.
While acknowledging Ayyad’s death sentence, Harris also shared the Rooney family’s disappointment over the “lighter sentences imposed on a number of those convicted,” indicating a perceived disparity in accountability.
In a resolute declaration, Ms. Rooney affirmed her unwavering commitment to “dedicate every bone in my body to ensure justice for Seán,” pledging to expose what she considers “uncomfortable truths about the systemic failings by the United Nations, the Irish Defence Forces and the Lebanese justice system.”
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