Allister lambasts Dublin in European Parliament
06 September 2005
At the start of the first sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg after the summer recess, DUP MEP JIM ALLISTER, used an adjournment debate to launch a stinging attack on the Dublin Government continuing to provide sanctuary to the three international terrorists who fled Columbia.
Mr Allister said, "I want to draw attention to the fact that since we last met a Member State, the Republic of Ireland, shamefully has been harbouring three convicted international terrorists.
IRA terrorists, Monaghan, Connolly and McCauley, were duly convicted of training FARC guerrillas in Columbia, skipped bail – partly put up by the Dublin Government – and now, on the back of a sordid deal with the IRA, and despite Interpol warrants are brazenly flaunting themselves in Dublin.
"To date Ireland has done nothing to meet its international obligations, but rather continues to provide complicit sanctuary for these international terrorists, thereby making a mockery of its affirmations in this House against such terrorism, when President of the Council just over a year ago.
"I utterly condemn the duplicity and hypocrisy of Dublin, but above all I call on it to end the shame and return these fugitives forthwith.”
Speaking after the debate Jim Allister said, “I intend to use this international forum to keep the spotlight on Dublin’s failure to meet its international obligations and therefore I will continue the pressure through parliamentary questions and motions.”
