Minister challenged on Shannon and neutrality
He said that this was because we had always allowed US troops to use Shannon, including during the Kosovo and Vietnam wars.
His statement on the Vietnam War is incorrect on two counts. First, for US troops to go to Vietnam via Ireland is like someone going from Limerick to Wexford via Belfast. Secondly, in the High Court constitutional case, Horgan v Ireland, et al, in April 2003, I received documents through legal discovery clearly showing that neither Shannon airport nor Irish airspace was used by US forces for the Vietnam War.
If the opposite is the case, then information or documents may have been withheld by the Government in this case.
Judge Kearns, in that case, found that Ireland was in breach of international law on neutrality, specifically the Hague convention on neutrality, by allowing the use of Shannon to US troops during the Iraq war in 2003.
With regard to Kosovo, I agree with Mr McDowell that Shannon airport and Irish airspace were used surreptitiously, but with the knowledge of the Government. This is confirmed by the discovery documents already mentioned.
The Kosovo war was undertaken without UN approval and was therefore also illegal. The documents I discovered from government sources indicate that the munitions that passed through Irish airspace during that war included 85 Cruise-type missiles of the type used to destroy the TV station and the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.
I have a legal question therefore for Michael McDowell, SC. Hypothetically, minister, if a criminal helped to kill innocent people in June 1999, does the fact that he was never brought to justice then mean he is entitled to commit even greater crimes with impunity in 2003? I await your answer and a retraction of your statement on Vietnam.
Edward Horgan
Newtown
Castletroy
Limerick
