BY allowing Shannon Airport to be used as a transit point for the US military, the Irish Government has failed to uphold its duty to prevent genocide.
That is according to pro-Palestinian activist Emily Cathcart (23), who made her comment to Detective Garda Colm Moriarty after charge and caution before Ennis District Court.
Ms Cathcart, of North View, Knocknagin Road, Balbriggan, County Dublin, along with two co-accused, Kaspar Aiden Cantwell Strattra (23) and Conán Kavanagh (23) were each charged with entering the apron area and Taxi 11 of Shannon Airport on November 2 last and causing the closure of the airport.
Giving evidence before Ennis District Court, Detective Moriarty told the court that Ms Cathcart told him after caution: “By allowing Shannon Airport to be used as a transit point for the US military, the Government of Ireland has failed to uphold its duty to prevent genocide under the Genocide Convention, making the Irish State complicit in genocide and that is a crime that concerns all Irish citizens made complicit by extension.”
Detective Moriarty said Mr Kavanagh, of New Cabra Road, Dublin 7 and St Joseph’s Drive, Montenotte, Cork, in response to the new charge and caution, replied: “I maintain that I did not break any laws but acted as a peace officer upholding the Irish constitution and Genocide convention.”
Detective Moriarty said that Kaspar Aiden Cantwell Strattra, of Manorlands Crescent, Trim, County Meath, replied “Saoirse don Phalaistín” (“Freedom for Palestine”) after charge and caution before court.
Sergeant John Burke told the court that the new charge against each of the three replaces a trespass charge the three were first charged with last November.
He said the DPP directed the case go forward to Ennis Circuit Court.
The three are facing charges from an incident at the airport on November 22 where members of the Defence Forces tasked to protect a US military aircraft at Shannon Airport drew their weapons briefly in response to an alleged incursion.
The three are also charged with the criminal damage of a Boeing 737-700 belonging to the US Navy Reserve and of a Shannon Airport airside vehicle barrier on the same date.
At a contested bail hearing on November 23 last, Dectective Moriarty told the court a US military aircraft allegedly sustained criminal damage when spray painted with green paint from a modified fire extinguisher on top of a modified van in a taxi area on the airfield.
Dectective Moriarty said Defence Forces personnel near the US navy aircraft “had their weapons drawn briefly until the situation was under control”.
He said the airport had to be shut down for 30 minutes and one incoming aircraft was placed in a holding pattern.
The three secured bail after their parents posted independent sureties to the court.
In court this past week, Judge Valerie Corcoran further remanded the three on bail to May 6 to Ennis District Court for the serving of a book of evidence.