McDowell warns of international terrorist threat

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell said yesterday that the country faced a significant threat from international extremists and evidence suggests that the country has already been used as a base for international terrorism.

The claim came a day after Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne told the Dáil justice committee that no such threat existed.

Publishing new laws to blacklist foreign terrorist organisations operating outside the state yesterday, Mr McDowell said the threat to Ireland was very real and there was a significant threat that the country would be used for international terrorism purposes.