Ireland’s failure to designate the Lebanese militant group Hizbullah a terrorist organisation “makes it harder to defend our countries and protects its citizens”, the US chief homeland security adviser has told a Dublin audience.
John Brennan praised Ireland’s record of international co-operation on security, including its support for nation-building in Afghanistan, its support and hospitality for US troops at Shannon, and its promotion of enhanced aviation screening.
However, he complained of a lack of unity in Europe on tackling Hizbullah, which had a “long history of terrorism”. The UK and the Netherlands had moved towards backing the US stance but “this is simply not enough”, and the group would continue to act with impunity without action from Ireland the rest of the EU.
Mr Brennan, a 25-year CIA veteran whose father was a native of Co Roscommon, also called for a common EU stance on kidnappings by groups linked to al-Qaeda in Africa and the Middle East.
He stressed: “Ransom payments, many of which come from Europe, are not part of the solution; they are part of the problem.”
Mr Brennan, who is President Barack Obama’s adviser on homeland security and counter-terrorism, was speaking at an event today hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs.
