Government should heed attack threat and end US war flights stopover

BBC’s Newsnight recently reported that a radical British Islamic cleric, Omar Bakri Mohammed, said Dublin airport was a legitimate target because of Ireland’s involvement in the war on terror.

At a recent demonstration against the use of Shannon airport by US soldiers, I talked with a local resident who worked in the airport, along with her mother. It is people like these, local residents, workers and passengers travelling through the airport, who will suffer most if Shannon or any other airport is targeted. Given events in Madrid and elsewhere in recent years, do we also have something to fear from our Government’s involvement in the illegal and highly destructive war on Iraq?

The Government should immediately revoke permission for US troops to land and refuel at Shannon. For years the Irish people have demanded this, but by the time the Government acts it may be too late for innocent civilians on our soil.