Outrageous! From the Irish Indie - and hat-tip to the reader who sent it in...!
SIX United States soldiers on their way home from service in Iraq were placed under citizen's arrest after an anti-war activist (Hibernian Moonbat) spotted them walking around a town in their uniforms.
Shannon-based "peace activist" Conor Cregan aka dingbat said yesterday that he briefly detained the six on Thursday afternoon after finding them walking on the Limerick Road leading out of Ennis. "I placed the soldiers under citizen's arrest because these soldiers are not supposed to be walking freely on the streets of Ireland in uniform. It is a breach of the Irish Constitution and Irish neutrality,"he said. The six were part of a group of 238 troops who were forced to stay overnight on Thursday in due to technical problems experienced by their aircraft at Shannon airport. They were staying at the West County Hotel in Ennis and met Mr Cregan near the hotel on a public footpath. He said yesterday: "I immediately called for the six to stop and said to them 'I am placing you all under citizen's arrest. Do not move'."
The men remained on the footpath as Mr Cregan contacted emergency services. "I was put through to Ennis garda station, but the garda on duty made light of the matter," Mr Cregan said.
Green party leader Trevor Sargent said yesterday that US troops walking in uniform in this country "was a flagrant breach of Irish neutrality. An army of another country can't flaunt itself in uniform and it was an important gesture by the anti-war activist to ensure that the law is being upheld," Mr Sargent said.
So, this is how Ireland treats US soldiers fighting against the Islamic killers in Iraq? Sickening. Cregan was lucky he wasn't swotted like the pesky little flea he transparently is!
In fairness David, the Garda made light of the "arrest" so to say that they were mistreated by the Irish is not accurate.
Posted by: Iain | June 24, 2006 at 01:15 PM
Iain,
OK - fair point. It's the Irish "activists" that enrage me - they are just as mad as the other Euroweenies!!!
Posted by: David Vance | June 24, 2006 at 01:16 PM
"So, this is how Ireland treats US soldiers fighting against the Islamic killers in Iraq?"
Come on David. Even the local garda refused to take this man seriously. This local eccentric is not Ireland.
Posted by: Colm | June 24, 2006 at 01:19 PM
On the other hand the nutter got the support of the leader of the greemn party - amd presumably SF as well .
Posted by: Madradin Ruad | June 24, 2006 at 01:22 PM
"I was put through to Ennis garda station, but the garda on duty made light of the matter,"
lmfao! I would pay good money to hear what the garda actually said.
Posted by: Frank O'Dwyer | June 24, 2006 at 01:29 PM
yeah lets hope the next IRA/SF bagman that comes to the US to get his terror money gets the same treatment
I posted this on my blog David
Posted by: The Troll | June 24, 2006 at 01:32 PM
i suppose he would have been just as gobsmacked as anyone else that the soldiers actually stayed on the footpath as this man instructed.
Posted by: Colm | June 24, 2006 at 01:33 PM
Colm
I was thinking that too. I wonder is it respect for rules or curiosity to see what would happen.
Posted by: aileen | June 24, 2006 at 01:38 PM
Maybe he arrested them in Irish ?
Posted by: Madradin Ruad | June 24, 2006 at 01:40 PM
A mixture of both I guess. They were just bemused at the whole incident and just hung around for the 'craic'.
Posted by: Colm | June 24, 2006 at 01:46 PM
My mother had to change out of her uniform in Belfast before going home to Donegal when she was on leave during the war.
Posted by: aileen | June 24, 2006 at 01:47 PM
Mad
Don't start that one up again ;)
Posted by: Colm | June 24, 2006 at 01:48 PM
They certainly have something to tell the grandkids :o)
Posted by: aileen | June 24, 2006 at 01:48 PM
Mad
Don't start that one up again ;)
Silly of me - I forgot, nobody in Ireland actually uses the language :)
Posted by: Madradin Ruad | June 24, 2006 at 01:55 PM
I think the telling comment is that when this clown phoned the police, he actually got through! Try doing that in virtually the whole of this United Kingdom, and you will be treated to a recorded message telling you to "call back during office hours!"
Posted by: Mike Cunningham | June 24, 2006 at 02:14 PM
So why isn't this Conor Cregan arrested himself for making a false arrest?
Posted by: The Phantom | June 24, 2006 at 02:57 PM
{i suppose he would have been just as gobsmacked as anyone else that the soldiers actually stayed on the footpath as this man instructed.}
Maybe they misheard him, and thought they were being offered an Irish delicacy "Irish Stew in the name of the law".
(Long Silence)
Posted by: Ross | June 24, 2006 at 04:14 PM
Groan!
Posted by: Colm | June 24, 2006 at 04:26 PM
Moonbat is right, there is nothing in the Irish constitution about neutrality. You'll be blaming Americans for Illinois Nazis next.
I see however a couple of boys with baseball bats did a citizens arrest on a Latvian in Lisburn.
Just the latest in the never-ending attacks on foreigners in Northern Ireland.
Is beatings with baseball bats how foreigners are treated in Northern Ireland?
Posted by: Garfield | June 24, 2006 at 05:40 PM
a couple of boys with baseball bats did a citizens arrest
Ah, the Poisonous garfield is back
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Posted by: Madradin Ruad | June 24, 2006 at 06:02 PM
Aileen,
The grandfather used to tell this story about being out cycling to work during the war and 6 lorries of Yank troops stoped and one leaned out and asked for directions for what he pronounced as Eeeedernee
the old man hadnt a clue what they were on about at the time and only thought of Edderny much later,he often wondered where they ended up
Posted by: Martin | June 24, 2006 at 07:12 PM
If the soldiers had shot him it would have been a story. As it stands it's nothing. The Garda was correct to refuse to take it seriously and displayed a lot more sense that Sargent Trevor.
Posted by: Henry94 | June 24, 2006 at 07:21 PM
Martin
Just think if their timely arival in Ederney had been crucial to the war effort, your granddad would have had a lot to answer for ;o)
How's the hay making?
Posted by: aileen | June 24, 2006 at 07:25 PM
Almost there---at this rate I'll be able to grant Berties request and cover for him on the 12th at the castle---
[I can also have a look at the debits and credits of our kingdoms finances}
Posted by: Martin | June 24, 2006 at 07:30 PM
*coughs nervously*
There something I need to break to you.
BTW you haven't been upholding the family tradition and giving false directions to American soldiers.
Posted by: aileen | June 24, 2006 at 07:36 PM