US troops’ guns not loaded, says Cowen

BR>FOREIGN AFFAIRS minister Brian Cowen admitted last night that troops stopping off at Shannon sometimes have their own weapons on board the aircraft, but they are not loaded.

He said that although civilian aircraft did not have to seek permission to land in the Republic, they did need it to carry munitions of war permission was only sought for one such plane last year.

"It has been indicated to us that troops travelling on civilian aircraft are sometimes accompanied by their personal weapons, which are carried in the hold of the aircraft," he said.