It’s been more than a month since The Ditch first reported on IDF explosives being illegally transported through Irish sovereign airspace – and munitions are still being brought over Ireland to Israel.
Though the Irish Times reported preliminary findings from a “government inquiry” in late September on illegal weapons flights undertaken by one airline, other carriers – in this case FedEx Express – continue to bring munitions of war to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) through Irish airspace.
The Ditch has asked the department if it’s aware that these illegal flights continue and what steps it has taken to address this criminality.
The Ditch has identified 14 packages of munitions on these five new FedEx flights from the US. These packages were flagged as International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) goods -– a reference to the legislation governing the export of defence-related goods listed on the United States Munitions List.
Each of the five flights carrying the munitions to Israel originated in Memphis, US and went through Cologne airport in Germany. On four of these flights the second leg of the journey – from Cologne to Tel Aviv, which is not regulated by Irish munitions of war law – was operated by Dublin-based ASL Airlines using a plane registered in Ireland.
'A month after The Ditch first alerted the Department of Transport'
Fourteen munitions of war packages – 12 headed to Nevatim air base in Israel identified by The Ditch were carried on
Five FedEx Express Memphis to Cologne flights through Irish airspace on 2,10,18,19 and 20 September this year brought 14 munitions of war packages mostly to Nevatim air base in Israel
International Traffic in Arms Regulations identified each of the packages as munitions – meaning they are goods listed on the United States Munitions List.
It is a criminal offence to transport munitions of war through Irish airspace without authorisation from the Department of Transport.
The majority of the fourteen munitions items were critical components for the IDF’s F-35 combat jets – used to drop bombs that have killed thousands of people in Gaza.
Twelve of the fourteen packages were sent on three flights – on 18,19 and 20 September – that took place a month after The Ditch first alerted the Department of Transport on 21 August that munitions of war were being illegally transported over Irish sovereign airspace.
Irish company ASL Airlines – which has a lucrative contract with Micheál Martin’s Department of Defence – legally transported the munitions on behalf of FedEx from Cologne to Tel Aviv using an Irish-registered plane that underwent maintenance at Shannon Airport last week.
FedEx and ASL Airlines have been contacted for comment.
