Irish journalist held in Israel is no bomb-master, claims editor

THE editor of a daily Irish language newspaper has denied that one of its correspondents arrested on suspicion of training Palestinian militants in bomb-making techniques was a terrorist.

Sen O Muireagin, 40, from west Belfast, was detained at the weekend by Israeli security forces, reportedly acting on information from UK security services.

He is being questioned by the Israeli security agency, Shin Bet, about the extent of his links with militants who have been mounting a bombing campaign against Israel, according to security sources in the country.

However, Ciaran O Pronntaigh, editor of the Belfast paper, L, said Mr Sen O Muireagin was a journalist for the paper and had been out in Israel for three weeks and had submitted his first article about conditions in the Palestinian town of Jenin. "He is a well-known Irish language and Palestine Solidarity Committee activist in Belfast and was reporting from Jenin for L and Raidi na Gaeltachta. He was arrested on his way into Ramallah," he said.

He denied that he was involved in terrorism.

"He is not what they are talking about, being a master bomber," he said. Mr O Pronntaigh added: "I had asked him to find out how people felt about the peace process.

"We were going to ask him did he know anything about the Irishman that had been arrested and we found out later that it was him."

Mr O Pronntaigh said the paper had contacted the Israeli Embassy in Dublin to demand his immediate release.

Security sources in Northern Ireland have said they were not aware of the 40-year-old being involved in paramilitary activity in the province. There has been speculation that the west Belfast man could have been the victim of mistaken identity, but Mr O Pronntaigh claimed it could have been a deliberate attempt by Israel to stifle any debate about the treatment of Palestinians.

"I would be dubious that this was a mistake. Perhaps they were trying to get rid of somebody who was seeing the Palestinian side. He was over on a fact-finding mission and showing solidarity with the Palestinians," he added.

The arrest came shortly before Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, arrived in London for talks with Tony Blair. The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, told reporters yesterday that Britain had rebuffed Mr Sharon’s plea for an end to any further dealings with the Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat.

The Palestinian representative to Ireland, Ali Halimeh, said he was suspicious about the timing of the arrest. Mr Halimeh said the arrest could be aimed at discrediting the "road map" peace plan.

"I can assure you that we have no knowledge of this man. We have never had any contact with him and we see no reason for him being in that part of the world," he said.

Republican sources said Mr O Muireagin was among a group of Irish people acting as peace monitors for an international solidarity committee.

The arrest has been seized upon by unionists as further evidence that Irish republicans were exporting their terror trade around the world.

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the security sources should take a close look at the man and any alleged links to the Provisional IRA.

"It has been well known for some time that the IRA have strong links with Middle Eastern terrorism and Palestinians in particular," he said.