Hezbollah fighters have now admitted being at the scene when Private Seán Rooney was murdered – but insist they weren’t involved in his death, it has emerged.
Reports in Lebanon yesterday said that Lebanese Army investigators have spoken to several members of the influential armed group who confirmed they were present when the Irish UN soldier was shot dead by a mob earlier his month.
Investigators have consistently suspected that Hezbollah fighters were involved in the ambush that left Private Rooney dead and his colleague Trooper Shane Kearney seriously injured – but this is the first confirmation that members of the organisation were present.
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The reports say members of Hezbollah now admit they were part of the crowd that surrounded the UN armed utility vehicle, or AUV, that Co Donegal-born Private Rooney was driving through the southern Lebanese village of Al-Aqbiya on December 14.
But the reports said the men insisted they were not involved in the attack on the AUV 0- which saw it being struck by some 27 shots from a deadly Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Private Rooney (24) died instantly when one of the bullets from the Kalashnikov hit him in the head as he tried to drive Cork-born Trooper Kearney (22) and two other Irish UN soldiers away from the crowd just before midnight.
The jeep then crashed and overturned and Trooper Kearney suffered serious head injuries when the vehicle overturned.
The two other soldiers in the armour plated car received minor injuries – but Trooper Kearney had to be flown back to Ireland on a specially-chartered air ambulance last week.
He was still being treated for his injuries at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital last night – the country’s expert facility for treating head injuries.
Gardai and military police are currently in Lebanon carrying out an investigation into the attack – which is also being proved by the UN itself and the Lebanese army.
Media reports in Lebanon said the Lebanese military are now close to knowing exactly what happened.
The reports said several members of Hezbollah – which fought Israel in a bloody war in 2006 and is sponsored by Iran -0 have confirmed being at the scene.
The reports also said that four men – including a 31-year-old blacksmith called MA who is suspected of firing the fatal shot – were in custody last night.
It had initially been reported there were three men in custody – but Lebanese media say another was arrested in recent days,
And they also said Lebanese investigators expected to arrest more suspects in the coming days.
But they also warned that some investigators believe the suspects are being used as pawns by Hezbollah – who do not want to be damaged politically by the killing.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said shortly after the murder of Private Rooney that he was sceptical of Hezbollah’s denial that it was involved in the attack.
There are suspicions that Hezbollah gave the go ahead for an attack on UN soldiers – because the peacekeeping body had recently changed the mandate for the blue helmets.
Up until recently, Irish and other countries’ soldiers from the 10,300 strong UN mission – called UNIFIL – were only allowed to work alongside the Lebanese military.
But in August the mandate was changed to allow UN soldiers to work alone.
There is some speculation that Hezbollah ordered the attack to show their power in the area – and anger at the new mandate.
Lebanon has repeatedly vowed to hunt down and punish the men involved in the attack – despite Hezbollah being so powerful in the country.
On Tuesday, Lebanon’s top soldier made an emotional pilgrimage to the Irish camp where Private Seán Rooney was based.
General Joseph Aoun, who is head of the Lebanese Armed Forces, also paid tribute to Ireland’s UN heroes when he visited Camp Shamrock in the south of the country.
The general visited the camp – which is home to the 121st Infantry Battalion of which Private Rooney was a member – and laid a wreath in his honour and the other 47 Irish soldiers who have died on UN service in Lebanon since we went there first in 1978.
The UN welcomed the visit – and repeated its call for justice for the murder of Private Rooney.
The Private was laid to rest in Co Donegal last week – to full military honours.
He was a soldier in the 27th Infantry Battalion in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Although born in Dundalk, the soldier moved to Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal at the age of 12 with his family - although he kept strong ties to the County Louth town and returned there to serve with the Army.
His funeral mass took place in Dundalk, before he was laid to rest at All Saints Catholic Church, Colehill, County Donegal.
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