Five charged with Private Seán Rooney killing

Five men, said to be members of the Hezbollah militia, have been charged with killing the killing of Private Seán Rooney.

The 23-year-old peacekeeper was killed while serving in Lebanon on December 14 last.

A military court in Lebanon on has charged the  men with an indictment accusing the quintet of ‘voluntary homicide’.

A 30-page indictment says the five men ‘formed a criminal gang and implemented a criminal project’.

The five - only one of whom is in custody - have been referred to the military court for trial and the crime is, under Lebanese penal code, punishable by death.

They were said to be in communication with each other over walkie-talkies and were overheard saying: ‘We are from Hezbollah’.

Four of the men remain at large.

Less than a fortnight after the death of Private Rooney, Hezbollah handed a man over to Lebanese police.

Private Rooney was shot dead when the vehicle he was driving came under attack in the Al-Aqbieh area of south Lebanon.

Private Rooney was a native of Dundalk and had lived in Newtowncunningham for the last decade.

A former student at St Eunan's College in Letterkenny, Private Rooney served with the 27th Infantry Battalion in Dundalk.

He was due to wed his fiancé Holly McConnellogue in August.

A Department of Defence spokesperson said: "We note reports that a number of individuals have been charged in Lebanon with the death of Private Seán Rooney.

"Given that the matter is before the Lebanese judicial system, we have no further comment at this time."