THE TRIAL of men accused of killing Irish soldier Sean Rooney in an ambush attack in Lebanon in 2022 has been pushed back for EIGHT MONTHS in the latest in a series of court delays.
Brave Irish peacekeeper Sean Rooney, 24, was driving fellow soldiers to the airport so they could return to Ireland for a funeral when their UNIFIL jeep came underfire.
Private Rooney was tragically killed in the ambush attack with another soldier, rifleman Shane Kearney, suffering serious injuries that required hospital treatment for several months.
In January 2023, seven men with connections to militant group Hezbollah were charged with participating in the attack that killed Private Rooney.
Only one of the seven men charged with the attack, Mohammad Ayyad, has ever appeared in court over the charges.
However, Ayyad was later released from custody due to health reasons and the court case has repeatedly been pushed back and delayed.
The latest hearing in the case occurred today in Lebanon when the court granted another postponement – this time for eight months.
The case is due to be heard before the court in Lebanon again on September 17 2025.
None of the men accused in the attack appeared in the court in Beirut today.
The Department of Defence were represented at the hearing in Lebanon this week by a Beirut based lawyer.
The Irish Ambassador to Lebanon was also in attendance.
Defence Minister Simon Harris expressed “further disappointment” at learning that the case would be delayed again.
A spokesperson for the Tanaiste said that the lack of progress with the criminal trial remains a source of considerable disappointment to the family of Private Rooney.
The Tanaiste is hopeful that with the newly established Government and court structures in Lebanon that progress will be made in bringing those responsible for Private Rooney’s death to justice.
The Irish government has repeatedly stressed the need for justice in the case with Taoiseach Micheal Martin previously meeting with officials in Lebanon to demand action when he was Defence Minister.
CONTINUED EFFORTS
Tanaiste Harris says he will continue to make strong representations on this matter to his Lebanese counterparts and with the United Nations.
Separately, a United Nations report into the death of Private Rooney was completed in 2023 and shared with the Irish government under strict criteria that it not be shared with third parties.
The Irish authorities have made requests for the report to be released to the Rooney family.