100% conviction rate reported for terrorism offences

IRELAND had the third highest number of terrorist-related arrests out of 13 European countries last year, according to an EU report.

The report by Europol, the EU police agency, said Ireland recorded a 100% conviction rate for terrorist offences in 2009.

The 2010 EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report said 31 people were arrested for separatist terrorism offences in Ireland in 2009.

“The vast majority of the individuals were arrested for membership of terrorist organisations such as the Continuity IRA, Real IRA and the Irish National Liberation Army, or for possession of arms and explosives,” said the report.

It said Ireland had the third highest number of arrests out of 13 states surveyed, after France (315) and Spain (169). There were no figures for Britain.

The report said the number of arrests in 2009 compared to 52 in 2008 and 24 in 2007.

Ireland did not record any arrests for other terrorism offences in 2009.

However, that changed this year when seven Muslims were arrested in March by gardaí as part of an international probe into an alleged plot to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks.

The EU report said there were two failed, foiled or successful terrorist attacks in Ireland in 2008, but none in 2009 or 2007.

The report said 124 attacks were carried out in Northern Ireland last year, with an increased number of attacks by the Real IRA and Continuity IRA. This included the murder of two soldiers and one police officer in March 2009.

The report said there were 15 prosecutions for terrorism offences in Ireland in 2009 and 15 convictions.

Ireland was one of four countries with no acquittals, along with Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.

But Ireland had far more prosecutions than those countries, with only two cases each in Austria and the Netherlands and seven in Germany.

The average acquittal rate across the 10 EU states surveyed was 17%.

Ireland was in the mid-range for the average length of prison sentences handed down to those convicted.

The average penalty in Ireland was five years, higher than the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Germany, but lower than Italy, Britain and Spain.

Europol said the number of terrorism charges in Ireland had risen significantly in the last three years: from six in 2007, to nine in 2008 and to 15 in 2009.

The report said Islamist terrorism was still perceived as the “biggest threat” despite the fact there was only one Islamist attack (in Italy).