New developments in Sean Rooney murder as Lebanon agrees to hunt down killer

Irish Daily Mirror

21 hours ago

Lebanese authorities have vowed to hunt down the murderer of Private Sean Rooney – and are also appealing the sentences to others involved in the killing, it has emerged.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Harris announced on Tuesday night that Lebanese prosecutors have agreed to take urgent steps to find Mohammad Ayad – the Hezbollah member convicted in his absence by a military court in Beirut last month of the December 2022 murder of Donegal-born Private Rooney, 24.
Ayad was sentenced to death in absentia – after he was released from custody last year on medical grounds. He is believed to be recuperating in a hospital and now Lebanese prosecutors have agreed to search for him and bring him back into custody.
Even though he was sentenced to be executed, the death penalty has not been implemented in more than 20 years in Lebanon and if he is caught he is likely to be locked up for at least a decade.
Lebanese authorities agreed to begin a search for him after the Tánaiste contacted them following the July 28 decision of the court. He expressed the Irish government's disappointment at the court's decision – especially the sentences handed down to five of Ayad's co-conspirators.
Ayad was also fined 100 million Lebanese pounds (approximately €950) by the court, as well as being convicted of the soldier's murder. It also sentenced Ali Suleiman to three months in prison and a similar fine, and Ali Khalifa to one month in prison and the same fine.
The court also fined Hussein Suleiman, Mustafa Suleiman and Ali Hakim 200 million Lebanese pounds (approximately €1,900) each, and declared Mohammed Mazhar innocent due to insufficient evidence.
They were all prosecuted over the December 2022 attack on an Irish UNIFIL armoured utility vehicle driven by Private Rooney and containing three other soldiers which was headed to Beirut Airport.
They were en route in a convoy to Beirut to bring colleagues to the airport so they could return to Ireland for a funeral. Private Rooney was shot dead, while his Cork born colleague Trooper Shane Kearney suffered life changing head injuries. Two other soldiers Corporal Joshua Phelan and Trooper Nathan Bryan survived the attack.
The Tánaiste contacted Lebanese authorities shortly after the verdicts were handed down by the Lebanese military court and now authorities have agreed to reexamine the case. Mr Harris contacted authorities to express the government's disappointment – and that of the Rooney family.
He met Private Rooney's family last week and committed to holding urgent talks with the Lebanese Justice and Defence Ministers in order to press for an appeal.
Those talks took place on Tuesday and Mr Harris told Private Rooney's mother, Natasha McCloskey, of the developments later in the day. Pte. Sean Rooney's mother, Natasha McCloskey was briefed by Tánaiste Simon Harris on Tuesday night.
A spokesman said the Lebanese Government has appointed a new military chief prosecutor who now will take over the case.
An appeal against the sentences has been formally lodged with the military Cassation Court. Tánaiste Simon Harris spoke to Lebanese authorities on Tuesday.
And Lebanese authorities have committed to taking urgent steps to get Ayad back into custody.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Simon Harris said: 'I very much welcome the confirmation today from the Lebanese Justice and Defence Ministers that an appeal has been formally lodged against the sentences handed down in the case of the death of Private Seán Rooney and the injuries of his colleagues.
'I have this afternoon spoken with Sean's mother Natasha, who I was pleased to also meet last week. I informed her of today's developments and have committed to following up directly with the Lebanese Government in relation to the appeal itself.
'In my calls with my Lebanese counterparts, I made it clear that the sentences handed down in this case are simply not acceptable and are very disappointing.
'They have caused great upset and insult to the Rooney family and everything must be done to ensure justice is served for Seán and his colleagues who were injured.'
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.