Al-Qaida supporters ‘will be deported if they pose threat’
Gardaí and the military have confirmed they passed on the files of at least 40 al-Qaida sympathisers in Ireland to the British police after a wing of the Islamic fundamentalist organisation claimed responsibility for the London bombings.
One is believed to be very close to Osama Bin Laden’s number two and others have links to extremists in Britain and Spain.
Labour called on the Government last night to deport known al-Qaida activists.
Justice spokesman Joe Costello said: “The US Government has already accused the Irish Government of being ‘weak-kneed’ when it comes to dealing with al-Qaida. They now have a duty to our citizens to deport any of these known activists who pose a security threat.”
Mr Costello also said that there does not seem to be any surveillance structure in place to keep 24-hour tabs on the al-Qaida members.
Mr O’Dea insisted that none of the al-Qaida sympathisers pose a security threat and he said they are under intense scrutiny with their phone, faxes and mail under constant surveillance.
“There is no evidence now that they pose a security threat, but if the situation changes and they do, we will deport them,” said Mr O’Dea.
Gardaí and military personnel will provide a “threat assessment” of the al-Qaida sympathisers to a special meeting of the Government’s Emergency Planning Task Force this Wednesday.
Mr O’Dea rejected claims by the country’s chief fire officers yesterday that Ireland’s emergency services could not cope with a London-style terrorist attack.
“This is just alarmist, we have an outstanding emergency plan in place that will deal with any contingencies, but there is no such thing as 100% security,” he added.
For that reason he is sending Irish officials to London later this week to talk to those who co-ordinated their emergency plan to see what lessons can be learned.
While he said a terrorist attack remains a low risk, Mr O’Dea is to seek Cabinet approval for a booklet to be sent to every household with information on what emergency plans are in place if one did arise.
Meanwhile, apparent divisions emerged between three Government ministers over the weekend about the need for identity cards here if Britain proceeds with plans to introduce them.
Justice Minister Michael McDowell and Mr O’Dea said they would not support the proposal, while Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern indicated he would like to see it considered.
Mr McDowell said: “I do not want to go the route of the Continental model where a policeman at any stage can ask you, on pain of committing a criminal offence, to produce your identity card on the street.”
Mr Ahern said on Saturday that the Government should consider bringing in identity cards here.
Yesterday, he said they may not necessarily bring in this security measure.
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