A Roscommon TD has raised the case of a Garda search of a Galway peace activist’s home and is demanding answers on the issue from the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.
Independent TD Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan has the made representations on behalf of the Galway Alliance Against War and has now placed an oral question to be answered by the Minister Shatter in the Dáil.
Dep Flanagan’s question is in relation to an incident which took place on June 7 2012, when Shannon Gardai raided the home of GAAW PRO Niall Farrell. At the time the Gardaí stated the raid was in relation to an alleged act of sabotage on a US military aircraft five months earlier at Shannon Airport.
At the conclusion of the house search, the gardai seized three computers and two DVDs of GAAW activities. Only two of these computers have been returned. Mr Farrell’s desktop computer remains in the custody of the Shannon Gardaí.
Dep Flanagan will ask Minister Shatter “if he can explain under what law can Gardaí confiscate and keep for seven months, personal property, without any explanation or legal order”.
The Garda Ombudsman has already got an investigation under way into this issue, which is being led by Supt Gerry Roche of Ballinasloe, to ascertain why a copy of the search warrant was not shown to the Farrell family on the day of the search.
In a statement Mr Farrell said he is “really appreciative” of Dep Flanagan’s support. He alleged that the search was “an act of petty harassment” which would not stop the GAAW “from campaigning for peace”.
