Passport abuse is the real issue for Ireland

IN his column (March 3), Steven King attempts to justify the assassination of Mahmoud Mabhouh — ” a man who lived by terrorism”.

The primary reason that this case has received so much coverage in Europe is the sheer contempt the perpetrators showed for this country by abusing our passport.

Currently, Irish passport-holders enjoy relative comfort when travelling across borders thanks to our neutrality and general absence of hostility towards any other nation.

Actions like that taken by the perpetrators in Dubai serve only to make life diffucult for Irish citizens and could lead to much greater vetting by border police in the future. This ramification seems to have been lost on Mr King. Perhaps he should consider each case as it occurs rather than feel obliged stoutly to defend Israel every time it comes under the spotlight.

Eoghan O’Callaghan

Westcourt

Ballincollig

Co Cork