Appeal lodged against sentences for killing of Irish soldier

Pte Seán Rooney was in an armoured UN vehicle which came under fire while travelling to Beirut

Prosecutors in Lebanon have formally lodged an appeal against the sentences handed down over the killing of an Irish soldier on a UN peacekeeping mission.

Pte Seán Rooney was in an armoured UN vehicle which came under fire while travelling to Beirut on 14 December 2022.

The 24 year old was the first Irish soldier to die while on UN peacekeeping duty in Lebanon in more than 20 years. Three others were injured in the incident.

Mohammad Ayyad was sentenced to death in Lebanon over the killing of Pte Rooney last month. He did not appear in court and remains at large.

Another man was sentenced to three months in prison and four others were ordered to pay fines. A seventh defendant was acquitted.

Unifil, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, said Lebanon's permanent military court found six individuals who were charged over Mr Rooney's killing guilty. One person was acquitted.

Tánaiste (deputy Irish prime minister) and Minister for Defence Simon Harris confirmed the appeal on Tuesday evening following earlier talks with the Lebanese justice and defence ministers.

Harris said he wrote to the Lebanese government following last month's trial to express the Irish government and Rooney family's disappointment at the sentences handed down.

In a statement following the sentence, Pte Rooney's mother, Natasha Rooney, criticised the Irish government for issuing public statements before speaking to the family.

She called the trial a "sham".

Tánaiste Simon Harris confirmed the appeal on Tuesday evening

On Tuesday, the tánaiste said he met the Rooney family last week.

He said he informed Ms Rooney that an appeal against the sentences was formally lodged with the military court.

He also confirmed the Lebanese government has appointed a new military chief prosecutor who will now take over the case.

Harris said he 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," he said.

"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."