A long road to justice for two murdered Irish soldiers
Updated / Tuesday, 13 Apr 2021
20:57
On 18 April 1980, three army privates were stopped by a militia known as the De Facto Force
Security Correspondent, Prime Time
John O Mahony spent 40 years waiting to see the man who shot him and murdered his colleagues brought to justice.
In December, a seven-judge military court in Lebanon found 76-year-old Mahmoud Bazzi guilty of the murders of Privates Thomas Barrett and Derek Smallhorne.
The verdict came five years after John stood in front of those judges to recount the events of 18 April 1980. That is the man who shot me, John told the court, pointing directly at Mr Bazzi.
Conviction of man who murdered two Irish soldiers in 1980
Long running trial over Lebanon killings
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The Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, has been notified of the conviction by a Lebanese Military Tribunal of the perpetrator of the murder of two Irish soldiers in Lebanon in 1980.
On April 18, 1980, Private Thomas Barrett and Private Derek Smallhorne were murdered and one soldier, Private John O’Mahony was seriously injured in the same incident in Lebanon. The personnel were serving as peacekeepers with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
At the village of At-Tiri, a convoy, which included the three Irish soldiers, was stopped and all the personnel were taken prisoner by de-facto forces. The Defence Forces personnel were disarmed and separated from the rest of the group. Private O’Mahony was shot and seriously injured while Privates Barrett and Smallhorne were murdered.
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Man convicted of murder of two Irish soldiers in Lebanon in 1980
Private Thomas Barrett and Private Derek Smallhorne were killed while on a peacekeeping mission over 40 years ago. By Órla Ryan Tuesday 22 Dec 2020, 7:27 AM Dec 22nd 2020, 7:27 AM 30,377 Views 10 Comments
Mahmoud Bazzi pictured in Michigan in the US in 2014.
Image: MCT/SIPA USA/PA Images
Mahmoud Bazzi pictured in Michigan in the US in 2014.
Image: MCT/SIPA USA/PA Images
A MAN HAS been convicted of the murder of two Irish soliders in Lebanon in 1980, Defence Minister Simon Coveney has confirmed.
The trial of Mahmoud Bazzi (76) by a Lebanese Military Tribunal in Beirut Lebanon has been ongoing since June 2015.
Man jailed for 1980 murder of Irish soldiers in Lebanon
Updated / Tuesday, 22 Dec 2020
22:12
Security Correspondent, Prime Time
A man who murdered two Irish soldiers in south Lebanon 40 years ago has been given a life sentence after being convicted of the killings.
Mahmoud Bazzi, 76, was convicted of murdering Privates Thomas Barrett and Derek Smallhorne, who were abducted and killed while on United Nations peacekeeping duties in April 1980.
Bazzi was also found guilty of attempting to murder another Irish soldier, Private John O Mahony.
Due to his advanced age, Bazzi s sentence was reduced to 15 years. He has been in custody since January 2015.
Bazzi and other members of the Israeli-backed DFF militia abducted soldiers Private Barrett and Private Smallhorne on 18 April 1980 in southern Lebanon.