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MAHMOUD BAZZI, THE man suspected of murdering two Irish soldiers in Lebanon in 1980 has been arrested in Beirut after being deported from the United States today.
Minister Simon Coveney this evening confirmed that authorities in Beirut had arrested and detained the man after removal proceedings were undertaken by US Homeland Security. He was deported after admitting he entered the US without proper documentation and lied to obtain lawful immigration status.
In April 1980, Irish Privates Thomas Barrett, Derek Smallhorne and John O’Manony, who were serving as UN peacekeepers, were taken hostage by the South Lebanese Army. They had been travelling in a convoy when they were stopped by the army, which was controlling the region at the time. O’Mahony was shot and seriously injured while Barrett and Smallhorne were both killed.
71-year-old Bazzi was serving with the militia at the time and is suspected of murdering the two soldiers. He was turned over to Lebanese authorities after being transported under escort from Detroit.
“I believe that this is a significant step in the pursuit of justice for Privates Thomas Barrett and Derek Smallhorne who lost their lives while on United Nations peacekeeping duty in Lebanon almost 35 years ago,” commented Minister Coveney this evening. “It is an important day for the families and I wish to commend them for their continued commitment to securing justice for their loved ones.”
Obviously it is now a matter for the Lebanese authorities to investigate the case and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on a case under investigation. That said, today’s development is very positive one.
Coveney said he would like to assure the families that he and the Government stand ready to provide whatever assistance possible to the Lebanese authorities in progressing this issue.
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Hopefully justice will be done after all this time.
Dereck was a very close friend of mine and this is great news for his family and friends.
Took awhile, but those who served with the lads and those that knew them kept up the questions and contacting of the media well done for seeing it this far hopefully the legal system will be able to finish it and closure for family friends and colleagues isn’t too far away.
Spot on Mack…this result is down to the dogged campaigning of the veterans over the past 30 years.
Irish government’s from both sides of politics where followers not leaders in the campaign, they had to be dragged kicking and screaming every step of the way.
Hopefully there is enough evidence to get a solid conviction.
http://www.vice.com/read/between-beirut-and-a-hard-place-0000205-v21n1
Have a read of the article from a witness on the day. Hopefully Bazzi will get his day.
Delighted they finally rounded him up and deported him back to Lebanon to face justice for what he did to our Peacekeepers. To think that he was spending his time in the USA during the 1990s and 2000s as an ice cream van driver is rediculos.
Well done to Simon Coveney.
He continues to surprise as a Defence Minister.
Hopefully Bazzi will face justice for murdering the two soldiers now that he is no longer protected by Israeli/American intel agencies.
Aaahhh, so it’s all a big Jewish conspiracy? Against the Irish?
Face justice from Nasrallah?
Whose you source, Hamas?
Joe. Correct me if I am wrong. But wasn’t the SLA allied to Israel and wasn’t he a commander of the SLA? And did he not travel to the US via Israel. He murdered to Irish UN troops. They weren’t killed in a fire fight but tortured and executed. So quite frankly what he gets in regards of Lebanese justice he richly deserves.
@Mick
Just because the SLA was aligned with Israel doesn’t mean that Israel was aware that SLA members would murder UN soldiers.
Ciaran. The Israelis may not have known he was planning to murder two UN troops but you can bet they knew everything that occured from the second the ambush took place to the execution of Smallhorn and Barrett within hours after the fact. And still gave him protection and allowed him to travel to the US. They knew he was wanted by both the UN and the Irish Government.
Idiot
@Mick
The conflict wouldn’t have happened if Lebanon hadn’t let terrorists, who were attacking Israelis, launch operations from its territory. Therefore, if it hadn’t been for those terrorists, Privates Smallhorne and Barrett wouldn’t have been murdered.
Furthermore, Mick, there is not a shred of evidence to back up your allegation against the Israelis.
Ciaran. If you actually believe that Mossad or Shin Beit didn’t know exactly what happened within hours of the event you are very naive. They were protecting one of their allies.
Listen to yourself, you dope !
Joe Burns,you are the first person to mention Jews here. What have Jews got to do with this story? Unless of course you think Jews= Israel & Israel = Jews? Is that how you see it?
Secondly Nasrallah is the leader of Hezbollah a Shi’ia organisation that was not even founded at the time of the murders.
Thirdly Hamas are based in Gaza a closed ghetto with the entire Israeli Defence forces between them and who were not formed for seven years after the murders. You do not seem to have even a basic knowledge of the geography of the Levant and absolutly none of its history. But don’t let that stop you showing your ignorance.
Finally it was a Christian murdering Christian, to paraphrase Scipio, Christianity, the religion of peace…..
Joe Byrne the SLA was a militia funded, armed. controlled and directed by the Israelis.
Ciaran Masterton the SLA didn’t fart without Israeli permission
Correct me if I’m wrong here but having read about this a bit more, Bazzi was a member of an Israeli backed Lebanese militia. Hence they were also effectively US backed.
He suddenly ends up living in the safety of the US who only recently decided he should be sent back to Lebanon due to ‘immigration’ issues……US now announce that this shows they are not a safe haven for terrorists….except they have been for this Israeli backed terrorist for 30 years
@Miguel
The US couldn’t extradite Bazzi to Lebanon because of the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries. There is no evidence that the US was aware the Bazzi was an alleged murderer when he was granted citizenship. The transfer of Bazzi to Lebanon is deportation, not extradition. I believe that Bazzi committed the crimes and I hope that justice is done.
Hopefully this brings some closure to the family’s involved. .r.i.p..lads…✌peace keepers all the way…
What a pity the ‘plane didn’t develop ‘engine trouble’ over the Atlantic and divert to Shannon for a bit of a tune up necessitating the evacuation of all passengers to the terminal. You could call it an ‘extraordinary rendition’ or something like that. No one would have noticed another American ‘plane landing at Shannon anyway………….
If only
Imagine the uproar if Ireland deported a person of interest to the U.S. Army to a third country.
Considering what’s in store for the lad in Lebanon Id say he’s wishing he was deported here. Anyway we have no legal claim to him.Ireland ain’t the US and like people to be tried for their crimes where the committed them.The SLA promised vengeance and they’re in a better position to get it.I doubt it will be pretty.
There has been many a person extradited from Ireland to a nation that they commited a crime, the only difference in this case is that the American government deported him due to the fact he lied to them on entering the states, the Lebanese government are now following a request from both the United Nations and Ireland by arresting him. If this was reversed in that the American government were interested in someone living here in Ireland illegally then the government would have an obligation on the international circuit to deport them to the country they lived in…
He was a member of the SLA wasn’t he!!
Sorry my mistake.He was SLA.I ment the LAF .My head was elsewhere.
Hopefully the family, friends and colleagues of the soldiers will be able to get some closure.
The Israelis trained & funded the SLA aka Christian Militia…. Of course they knew what the SLA were doing. The Israelis never & still to this day like the Irish Army, because they are trained & highly respected etc especially in Lebanon…
To my mind this man should be tried in the U.N – The soldiers were serving the U.N at the time .
I suppose America will arrest Benjamin Nethanyahu and hios Generals now and the leaders of Hamas for the War Crimes in Gaza – Ban Ki Moon and all that !
I would have about as much confidence in Lebanon investigating and deporting him to Ireland as I would Nasrallah wanting peace with Israel. 2 dead 1 seriously injured, history repeats itself again and again.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-mideast-israel-lebanon-idUSKBN0L10XD20150128
Regrettably, Ireland doesn’t have the power to prosecute Bazzi.
The following article is from January 2005.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/new-bid-to-net-killer-of-un-heroes-26203580.html
“There was a review of the legal options relating toa possible prosecution four years ago.
The Attorney General’s office examined the possibility of a case being brought under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, which had come into force in 1999.
However, the AG came to the view that the convention did not apply retrospectively, and could not be used in relation to a prosecution by Ireland against Bazzi.
He also advised that any extradition proceedings would have to be initiated by the country where the crime was committed – and as there was no extradition treaty between Lebanon and the United States, it was unlikely that this would occur.”
If he could be considered guilty of murder the DPP would of convinced the U.S. to deport him here years ago. Sadly the evidence is insufficient. Wish it was. Pr!ck doesn’t deserve the way we treat prisoners anyway.
Is it true to say that the soldier were buried I Lebannon and not brought home for burial ?
Just a question – I thought I read that somewhere – I could be wrong – Just Askin’
No Dermot, they were brought home for burial.
I guess thats war!
51 comments and not a squeak out of the usual Israeli apologists Scipio, Uncle Mort. or Paddywhatshisname. Funny that.
What would a little Simon convey know about.what X happened before he was even born . These irish soldiers men of destiny and more importingly un peace keepers deserve the utmost respect now and even on the afterlife . Pride and honour xx xx xx
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