US breaches Irish Neutrality:

                                                   US Hercules at Shannon Airport


GOVT. ADMITS  US LANDED 
ARMED AIRCRAFT AT SHANNON:

In a statement to Dail Eireann on October 15, Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore admitted a breach of Irish Neutrality by the United States on September 5, 2013, when an externally armed US Hercules C130 aircraft was landed at Shannon Airprort contrary to Irish and International Law and assurances given to Ireland previously by the US Government:

“An armed US military aircraft stopped at Shannon airport early last month in breach of Government rules prohibiting planes carrying weapons from landing in Ireland or flying through Irish airspace." Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore revealed concerning details of an aircraft “armed with a fixed weapon” landing at Shannon, in a reply to a parliamentary question this week.

The aircraft landed on September 5th after clearance paperwork submitted by the US supposedly "mislabeled" the type of aircraft requesting landing rights at the airport, which has been frequently used by American military personnel travelling between the United States and war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When contacted by officials of DFA the US embassy said that it regretted the incident and said that new procedures had been “put in place to ensure such errors do not take place in the future”.

The US Embassy declined to answer questions about the type of aircraft or weapon on the plane or where the aircraft had flown from or its destination.The aircraft landed at Shannon at a time when the US was pressing foreign leaders to support military action against Syria over the use of chemical weapons.

Mr Gilmore said that the Garda and Defence Forces providing security at the airport reported that a US military aircraft, which had landed, was “visibly armed”. Following an investigation, a senior department official expressed “strong concern” with the US embassy’s chargé d’affaires, the temporary stand-in for the vacant Ambassador’s role, at a meeting. The official made clear to the US representative that “the Irish Government views breaches such as the one that occurred as a matter of the utmost seriousness”, Mr Gilmore said. “It would appear that this was an isolated incident which took place as a result of an administrative error and I have noted the steps taken by the US authorities to ensure that there is no recurrence.”

The Tánaiste said that the system for dealing with requests for landing by US aircraft in Shannon was being fully implemented and “kept under regular review” to ensure it complies with Irish law. “The US authorities have no difficulties with this approach and indeed have expressed their concern to ensure that they are acting in full accordance with our requirements,” he said.
  
CHALLENGED:

Gilmore's statement was challenged by Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) International Secretary, Edward Horgan, who issued the following statement:

 "Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore stated in the Dail on 15^th October that a US military aircraft “armed with a fixed weapon” landed at Shannon. This incident is believed to have occurred on 5^th September 2013 and probably involved a Hercules Lockheed C130W combat aircraft. The Minister claimed that “It would appear that this was an isolated incident which took place as a result of an administrative error and I have noted the steps taken by the US authorities to ensure that there is no recurrence.” This statement by Minister Gilmore lacks credibility. 

The only reason that this incident has been made public is that the weapon was externally mounted on the aircraft, and the Gardai and Irish Army who were inappropriately guarding this aircraft could not have avoided seeing this weapon, and the Minister was likely aware that the matter was about be publicised. Minister Gilmore has repeatedly stated that US military aircraft being refuelled at Shannon “are unarmed, carrying no arms, ammunition or explosives, not engaged in intelligence gathering, and not part of any military exercises or operations at Shannon”. 

This is false information on several counts. The vast majority of US soldiers, including military air crews and US military aircraft, traveling through Shannon are either engaged in military exercises or on their way to or from military operations. These personnel virtually never travel abroad on such missions without carrying with them their personal hand-held weapons such as assault rifles and pistols and associated ammunition. These modern assault rifles are personal issue to each soldier and are taken with them to and from each mission. In addition the US military cargo aircraft being refueled almost daily at Shannon airport are not crossing the Atlantic towards the Middle East carrying harmless materials. Their sole purpose is to carry armed soldiers and war materials, including dangerous munitions.

 
All this is in clear breach of Irish neutrality, and of international laws on neutrality, and in addition presents dangers to workers and the public at Shannon airport who are exposed to serious dangers because Shannon airport is not designed for such dangerous explosive air cargoes.
 
The Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance calls for the long-term prohibition of all foreign military use of Shannon airport and for immediate implementation of a system of random unannounced inspections of US military aircraft at Shannon and of chartered aircraft carrying US troops and US military cargo through Shannon Airport". 

The Tanaiste's admission that an externally armed US military aircraft landed at Shannon Airport in breach of Irish Neutrality and Irish and International Law is seriously disturbing.

The description of this event as an“isolated incident” is contradicted by events at the Airport over this year in particular.  In February this year, members of PANA, and Shannonwatch, who monitor US military activity at the Airport, accompanied by Colonel Ann Wright (US Army retd.) observed a US Hercules C130 aircraft on the tarmac, near the Control Tower, from which aircraft armed and uniformed (camouflage) US military personnel could be seen disembarking and embarking at various times. This breach of Irish Law,  the Defence Act 1954, was pointed out to a Garda Sergeant who was also present but, who failed to take any action when he was requested to search the aircraft.

A number of other such incidents have been observed and reported by Shannonwatch observers and in no case have either Gardai or Defence Force personnel taken any action to enforce Irish Law against these scandalous breaches of our sovereignty indulged in with impunity by the US Military despite what the Tanaiste stated in Dail Eireann. In each case reports were made to Gardai on the spot which were met by silence and inaction.

The Irish Government should withdraw landing and refueling facilities for US Military aircraft at Shannon Airport forthwith, except in cases of emergency, as the assurances on compliance with law and regulations from the US Government and its Embassy in Dublin are worthless and an insult to the sovereign rights of the Irish people.

Ireland says no to US demands for Snowden arrest:

                                                     The High Courts of Justice, Dublin.

DUBLIN HIGH COURT
REJECTS US APPLICATION
FOR SNOWDEN ARREST
WARRANT:


Ireland has denied the U.S. an arrest warrant for whistle blower Edward Snowden in case he lands in this country. The High Court in Dublin ruled that Washington DC security chiefs failed to show where alleged crimes had been committed by the former intelligence contractor.The US applied for a provisional arrest warrant on Friday through its Dublin embassy.

Officials made the move after former NSA employee, Mr Snowden, contacted 21 countries, including Ireland, seeking asylum. There were concerns by US Officials that the fugitive intelligence officer, who has been living in the transit section of Moscow's Sheremetyevo-2 airport, would pass through Shannon Airport en route to South America. A request for asylum in Ireland can only be considered if Snowden makes an application on arrival in the country according to Government sources but, on a previous occasion asylum was granted to hundreds of Bosnian refugees although they had not yet arrived in Ireland

Judge Colm Mac Eochaidh refused the request for an arrest warrant on the grounds that no information had been given by the US authorities about where the alleged offences took place. The ruling also stated that the decision was taken because the US failed to show where the theft of government property took place or what had been stolen.Judge Mac Eochaidh said offences may relate to theft of information and its misuse rather than to physical property but that assumptions could not be made that it took place in Hawaii.

Former NSA analyst Mr Snowden has requested asylum across the globe, in Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and Venezuela.He is wanted for allegedly leaking details of secret surveillance operations in the UK and US and has been in diplomatic limbo since his arrival in Moscow from Hong Kong on June 23.

RUSSIA RESPONDS

Russian president Vladimir Putin said Mr Snowden would have to stop leaking US secrets if he wanted to get asylum there. Russia’s foreign minister has rejected American demands to extradite Edward Snowden. Sergei Lavrov said Snowden had not crossed the Russian border and insisted that Russia has nothing to do with him, his relations with US justice, or his travel plans. He angrily criticised American demands for Snowden’s extradition and warnings of negative consequences if Moscow fails to comply.

Mr Lavrov said that accusing Russia of “violation of US laws and even some sort of conspiracy” with regard to Snowden is “absolutely ungrounded and unacceptable”. He would not specify the location of Snowden, who booked a Havana-bound flight from Moscow a week ago but, did not show up on the plane.

 

SHITTER SHATTER BATS FOR US SPY AGENCIES:

The Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter says there's nothing to prevent the US from making a fresh application to the Irish courts for the extradition of whistleblower Ed Snowden, should he enter the state following the refusal by the High Court to issue a provisional arrest warrant, in the event Snowden arrives in Ireland seeking political asylum.

                                                                  Shatter at a party conference

 

Responding to the High Court judgement, Minister Shatter said the Irish and U.S. authorities are in close contact with regard to Snowden.He said it was worth noting that the High Court refused to issue the arrest warrant "on the basis of specific information, rather than a determination as to whether an individual should or should not be extradited " Once again Shatter displays his contempt for the Irish public with a partisan propagandist claim on behalf of a foreign government. Also, he has no right commenting on a legal case before the courts in any manner whatsoever which amounts to contempt of court for which he should be called before the Justice hearing the case to account for his disgraceful remarks.

Shatter, a known pro-Zionist and apologist for Israeli war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank Palestinian Territories, including the piratical attacks on Irish ships travelling to Gaza; the illegal detention, kidnap, assault and stealing of property from Irish citizens on board shows that he is unfit to be a minister in the Irish Government and should be dismissed forthwith by An Taoiseach if the government had any respect for itself or the people it purports to govern under the Irish constitution.

Leaks

Edward Snowden leaked classified US intelligence documents to the media last month. Once he was unveiled as the NSA whistleblower, he fled to Hong Kong and from there to Moscow, where he has been residing in a transit area of the city's airport for weeks. He has subsequently released intelligence claiming that the US has been monitoring secret, official EU communications. Snowden has sought political asylum in dozens of countries - several of which have refused. However, Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua are enthusiastic to grant him asylum, if he can get out of Moscow - and is given uninhibited passage through international airspace.

A diplomatic incident a week ago when an aircraft carrying Bolivian President Morales was forced to break its journey and land in Vienna because of rumours that Mr Snowden was on board has provoked outrage throughout Latin America at the high-handed and lawless activities of Washington in its attempts to apprehend Mr Snowden.

Apart from the brass-necked effrontery of the US Administration in seeking the assistance of Irish courts in their vindictive campaign of intimidation against Mr Snowden while they continue to commit acts of murderous violence across the globe against the civilian populations of the several countries they are engaged in military actions in, the provocative intervention of Shatter on their behalf must be condemned and opposed vigorously by all progressive and democratic forces here.