US moved helicopters to Israel via Shannon
Deputy Business Editor
THE United States used Shannon airport to transport Apache attack helicopters for use by Israel.
The helicopters have been used in the past for targeted assassinations of militants.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has now launched an inquiry into the incident after inquiries by the Irish Independent.
In February a cargo plane carrying three Boeing Apache helicopters, the type used by both the American and Israeli forces, landed at Shannon, where it stayed overnight before taking off for Israel.
When contacted last month both the Department of Transport, which is responsible for foreign civilian flights, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for foreign military flights, denied any knowledge of the flight.
This week, when presented with the serial numbers of the cargo planes and of the helicopters, they conceded the flights had taken place and said that they have launched an inquiry.
Although Shannon airport is routinely used by American planes in support of the ongoing occupation of Iraq, this is the first time it has emerged that Ireland also facilitates the sale of American heavy-arms sales.
On February 27, an Anotov 124, the largest mass-produced cargo plane in the world, landed at Shannon airport.
The plane was operated by Volga-DNEPR, a multinational company whose principal business is the supply of these Russian-made planes.
The plane, registration number RA 82042, was carrying three Boeing AH-64 attack aircraft, which had been loaded at Williams Gateway Airport in Phoenix, Arizona on February 25. It took off for Israel on February 28.
In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesman for Transport Minister Martin Cullen said: "The original information provided to the department by the aircraft operator shows that the flight in question intended to travel from the USA to Israel via Iceland and to return via Shannon. We were informed that the flight landing at Shannon on the return leg would be empty.
"Following inquiries today, it has been discovered that the aircraft landed in Shannon on the outbound leg. This is new information to the department."
"In light of this development, the department will now be making further inquiries."
In a further statement yesterday the department confirmed that the cargo plane was carrying Apache helicopters. It also said that it has been advised that the Anatov was diverted from Iceland to Shannon "so that a technical problem could be attended to at the company's maintenance base at Shannon".
On March 25 the Irish Independent contacted the same spokesman giving the details of the flights, including the dates of arrival and departure, the make of cargo plane and the number and make of helicopters it was carrying. At that time he said: "In authorising civil aircraft, the Department of Transport consults with and seeks the approval of the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Defence. The department has checked its electronic records from January 1, 2003 to the present date concerning civil flights from America to Israel via Shannon. These records show that only one such flight landed at Shannon, on June 14, 2005. This flight was transporting US troops only."
On March 26 the Irish Independent contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs with the same information. It responded by stating: "All military flights do need to be authorised by the Minister for Foreign affairs.
"The minister has not authorised any such transport through Shannon."
When contacted last Wednesday with more detailed information a spokesman said that because the cargo plane carrying the attack helicopters to Israel was technically registered as a civilian plane, it this was a matter for the Department of Transport.
The Israeli government operates a fleet of 49 Apache attack aircraft which are regularly used to target suspected Palestinian militants in the region.
In one incident last February Apache helicopters were used to hit two cars carrying Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza city, killing two people.
Israeli was retaliating against rocket attacks by the Islamic Jihad Qassam in the Gaza Strip.
Last year, Boeing won a contract to remanufacture each of the aircraft in the fleet, a process which involves bringing them up to modern specifications for attack helicopters.
