Irish-based Australian released after four years in Iraqi jail
An Irish-based engineer who has been imprisoned in Iraq for four years has been released, it has been confirmed tonight.
Robert Pether was arrested and detained on April 7, 2021, on fraud charges arising from a contractual dispute involving his employer over the building of a new Central Bank building in Iraq.
Mr Pether, an Australian national who was living with his family in Elphin, Co Roscommon, was arrested alongside an Egyptian colleague after being called to a meeting in Baghdad to discuss the project which they had worked on for four years.
Mr Pether's family had warned in recent times of his declining health due to lack of access to adequate health services and doctors.
His release from jail was confirmed this evening by Tánaiste Simon Harris. However, Mr Pether has only been released on bail and will remain in Iraq for the time being.
Mr Harris said it is very welcome news in a long and distressing saga for Mr Pether's wife Desree, his three children, and his wider family and friends.
"Foreign Minister Hussein of Iraq, whom I spoke to last month to urge Robert's release, called me this evening with the news," the foreign affairs minister said in a statement.
I was informed that Robert has been released on bail and for the moment he remains in Iraq, but I welcomed this as a first step to his being allowed to return to his family in Roscommon.
Mr Harris has spoken with Desree about the development in Mr Pether's case and said there are still concerns surrounding his health and the outstanding charges.
He said he is hopeful of a positive resolution in the case and took the opportunity to thank Irish diplomatic officials in the region for their continued work on Mr Pether's case.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Inside ‘delightful' family home on Irish market for €269k – and it's ‘immaculately presented throughout'
TAKE a look inside the "delightful" family home on the Irish market for €269,000 - and it's "immaculately presented throughout". This stunning pad is located in Ashfield, Co Advertisement 6 The pad is located near Carlow town Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 And it is now on the Irish market for €269,000 Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 It comes with a spacious living room Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 The pad also features a fully-tiled kitchen Credit: Estate Agents Collect This semi-detached It comes fully The house listing reads: "This delightful semi-detached home is located in a quiet cul-de-sac on the southern edge of Carlow town, with full access to all mains services and town amenities. "Constructed in 1999, the residence presents a three-bed-one-bath configuration, with the added bonus of an integrated garage cavity at ground floor level, ripe for immediate conversion." Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY It includes a substantial modern kitchen with access to the rear garden and is perfect for This stunning kitchen has tiled flooring and is fully fitted with white cabinets, an oven, and a dishwasher. Double-glazed windows located around the kitchen and dining area allow plenty of natural light to enter the house. The family home is in an excellent location, with cafes, Advertisement MOST READ IN MONEY Along with being a short walk from Carlow town centre, Kilkenny and Portlaoise are each within an hour's drive of this fabulous property. The area also includes a choice of primary and secondary schools, perfect for Inside three bed family home on Irish market for €170k on 'generous site,' in 'desirable location' Located in a sought after residential area, the family home is equipped with oil-fired central heating and has a spacious back garden. A major bonus to the pad is that it comes with an integrated garage making it perfect for a conversion. Advertisement What's more, the home features off street parking and a large garden. When entering the home, viewers are greeted by a fabulous hallway with timber flooring and plenty of storage room under the stairs. A This comfortable area is filled with natural light and space, creating a cosy atmosphere. Advertisement There are three bathrooms in this family home and the first of which is fully tiled and includes a wash basin, a bath and a toilet. F irst floor offerings Moving upstairs, there is a spacious and modern landing with carpet flooring. On the property's first floor there are three bedrooms, including a master bedroom with timber flooring, natural light and plenty of storage space. The second bedroom is spacious and features views overlooking the garden, along with wooden flooring and wardrobes, and could fit a king-size bed. Advertisement The home's third bedroom is a modern single room that features plenty of storage space and natural light. The Along with featuring a patio area, it comes with ample space and greenery. The property is listed by Sherry Fitzgerald and on Advertisement 6 The property is a three bedroom pad Credit: Estate Agents Collect 6 It comes with a large rear garden Credit: Estate Agents Collect
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
At least five killed as Russia launches major attack on Ukraine
AT LEAST FIVE people have been killed after Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early this morning. Russian forces have accelerated attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, with the Kremlin vowing to retaliate over a brazen attack on its air bases last weekend. The Ukrainian air force said Moscow had fired 206 drones and nine missiles, adding that 'the air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces'. In Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov counted 48 Iranian-made drones, two missiles and four guided bombs before dawn in the city of some 1.4 million residents located less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine. 'Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the beginning of the full-scale war,' Terekhov posted on Telegram around 4.40am (2.40am Irish time), adding that drones were still buzzing overhead. The Russian strikes pummelled homes and apartment blocks, killing at least three people and wounding 17 more, the mayor said. A woman was also pulled alive from the rubble of a high-rise building. Kharkiv region Governor Oleg Synegubov said the wounded included two children. 'Medical personnel are providing the necessary assistance,' he wrote. The northeastern city was already reeling from an attack on Thursday that wounded at least 18 people, including four children. Advertisement Rescuers carry a wounded woman after Russian attack that hit a residential building in Kharkiv. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In the southern port city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed a couple and damaged two high-rise buildings, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Sergiy Lysak said Ukrainian forces had repelled 27 drones and two missiles overnight, but two women aged 45 and 88 were injured. Rescuers in the western city of Lutsk, near the Polish border, meanwhile discovered a second fatality from Friday's strikes, describing the victim as a woman in her 20s. The aerial bombardments come days after Ukraine launched a brazen attack well beyond the frontlines, damaging nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases and prompting vows of revenge from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia's defence ministry meanwhile said that 36 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles had been downed across a wide swath of territory. Ukraine has been pushing for an unconditional and immediate 30-day truce, issuing its latest proposal during peace talks in Istanbul on Monday. But Russia, which now controls around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, has repeatedly rejected such offers to end its three-year war. The Kremlin said on Friday the Ukraine war was 'existential' for Russia. Ceasefire hopes dim The comments are Moscow's latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting. 'For us it is an existential issue, an issue on our national interest, safety, on our future and the future of our children, of our country,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Trump on Thursday comparing Moscow and Kyiv to brawling children. Related Reads Trump-Putin phone call will not lead to 'immediate peace in Ukraine', US President says Ukraine attacks bridge connecting Crimea to Russia with over a thousand kilos of explosives Ukraine says it destroyed more than 40 military planes in drone attack in Russia Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia. Putin had told Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack. Putin has issued a host of sweeping demands on Ukraine if it wants to halt the fighting. They include completely pulling troops out of four regions claimed by Russia, but which its army does not fully control, an end to Western military support, and a ban on Ukraine joining Nato. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the demands as old ultimatums, questioned the purpose of more such talks and called for a summit to be attended by him, Putin and Trump. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Want to know more about what's happening in Ukraine and why? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Sunday World
2 hours ago
- Sunday World
Irish American community pays tribute to mum-of-three killed in murder-suicide
Arlene Connolly-O'Neill died at the hands of her husband Sean O'Neill on the morning of Wednesday, October 16. The Irish American mother of three who was killed by her husband in a murder-suicide has been remembered in a 'living tribute" at the school where she taught. Arlene Connolly-O'Neill died at the hands of her husband Sean O'Neill on the morning of Wednesday, October 16. There has been an outpouring of grief among the devastated Irish American community in Yonkers, New York, in the aftermath. Now, a tree has planted in her memory as "a beautiful nod to her strong Irish heritage' at the Yonkers elementary school where she had taught for more than two decades. Irish Central is reporting that the Eastchester Police Department shared photos from the unveiling of the tribute at Anne Hutchinson Elementary School on June 3. Arlene Connolly-O'Neill News in 90 Seconds - 7th June According to the police department's social media, teachers and students from the school, as well as two officers, came together to honor Connolly-O'Neill's memory by planting a tree in front of the school as a 'lasting symbol of her spirit and the many lives she touched'. "Students lovingly decorated rocks with green hearts, a beautiful nod to her strong Irish heritage and the warmth she shared with our school community,' the post reads. "May this tree grow strong and proud as Arlene continues to do in our hearts." Arlene, whose parents were from Co Monaghan and Co Galway, was a popular figure throughout the tight-knit Irish American community in Yonkers, where she lived her entire life. On October 16, police said that 47-year-old Arlene was shot multiple times by her 54-year-old husband Sean O'Neill, a retired NYPD Police Officer, before he turned the weapon on himself in their home in Yonkers. On October 23, a joint funeral was held for Arlene and Sean in Yonkers. In a heart wrenching speech at the end of the Mass, Arlene's brother Mark Connolly told the congregation that "no one's really sure why things turned out the way they did." He said: "We want everyone here to know that our family will not be defined by the events of that day but by the love we continue to have for one another." The couple is survived by their three sons, aged 15, 13, and 11 who are now in the care of their extended family. Following the tragedy a 'Go Green for Arlene' campaign launched by the Ladies Guild at the Annunciation Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Yonkers saw homes and businesses throughout the neighbourhood hang green bows and ribbons in her memory. The initiative was backed by the City of Yonkers, as well as numerous local businesses and community groups. In a further show of support, people on social media also changed their profile pictures to an image of a green heart with 'Arlene' written under it, Irish Central reports. An obituary shared by Flynn Memorial Home in Yonkers, described Arlene as "a proud Irish-American" who "cherished her friends and family." While she loved music and New York sports, "above all, her most-adored past time was going on nonstop adventures with her three boys, who were the loves of her life. The boys were her entire universe and she would have moved mountains for them." The obituary reads: "Arlene was a larger than life human being whose beautiful eyes and bright smile could light up a room. Her energy was infectious. 'She is gone too soon and will be dearly missed by so many. The world now has a void that can never be filled. Our hearts are heavy with her loss." According to the local Daily Voice publication, "In the months since her passing, O'Neill's family, friends, and the Eastchester school community have gathered repeatedly to grieve, honor, and celebrate her life." It added: "The tree planting is the latest in a series of tributes that reflect how deeply she was loved."
