Liberia video soldiers identified

IRISH soldiers seen taunting a group of locals in Liberia on a well-known website have been positively identified and will be interviewed by Military Police, the Defence Forces confirmed yesterday.

The incident has caused particular upset within the Defence Forces which welcomed home, on Thursday, the last contingent of Irish peacekeeping troops from the west African state.

“We are very annoyed at this and it has to be addressed quickly. Not only is the behaviour totally unacceptable, so is the fact that it was deliberately recorded and posted on the internet,” said one defence source.

The incident — which was uploaded on the YouTube website — shows two Irish soldiers pointing their weapons and pretending to fire at a group of local people in Liberia.

Most of the locals dive for cover and the soldiers are recorded as laughing and then walk away.

The incident appears to have taken place in the last 12 to 18 months.

Defence Forces spokesman Commandant Gavin Young said that Military Police were investigating the uploading of the video, and the pointing of weapons at what appear to be unarmed civilians.

He said that the footage came to the attention of staff last Tuesday and that the video clip had been removed at their request on Thursday evening.

“The actions of uploading the video and the action of mock pointing of a weapon at local people in Liberia are taken very seriously by the Defence Forces and personnel may be subject to disciplinary charges under the Defence Act.”