Breaking Appeal lodged against sentences over Seán Rooney murder
The development was announced by Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris this evening following talks earlier today with the Lebanese Justice and Defence ministers.
Mr Harris said he wrote to the Lebanese government to express the Government's and Rooney family's disappointment at the sentences handed down in the case of Pte Rooney, as well as over the attempted killing of Trooper Shane Kearney, Corporal Joshua Phelan and Trooper Nathan Bryan.
The Tánaiste said he met Pte Rooney's family last week after his mother Natasha criticised last month's trial which she dismissed as a "sham".
Last week's meeting was scheduled after the Tánaiste faced criticism for speaking publicly on the case before talking to the Rooney family.
Pte Rooney, who was 24 and from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal, was killed when the armoured vehicle he was travelling in was fired on in Lebanon on 14 December 2022.
The main defendant in the case, Mohammad Ayyad, was sentenced to death in absentia and remains at large.
One other man was sentenced to three months in prison and four others ordered to pay fines. A seventh defendant was acquitted.
The Lebanese government has now appointed a new military chief prosecutor to oversee the case, and has "committed to taking urgent steps to ensure the individual convicted of the murder of Private Rooney is taken into custody".
Mr Harris said he has informed Ms Rooney of the developments, and has "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."
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