War Criminal Blair Should be Arrested in Dublin

Responding to reports that former British prime minister Tony Blair is to attend a book signing session in Dublin next month, éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac An Mhaistír has said he should be arrested if he enters the Twenty-Six Counties.

Reports have suggested that Blair is to sign books at Eason’s bookstore in Dublin on September 4.

During his time in office, Tony Blair waged war, along with two US presidents, on the people of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Independent assessments of the cost of the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003 have estimated that one million Iraqis lost their lives as a result of it.

Blair also oversaw the normalisation of the British occupation in the Six Counties, during which time a number of nationalist civilians were killed by pro-British forces.

Mac An Mhaistír said: “Tony Blair is a war criminal who is responsible for the laying to waste of two already poor countries – Afghanistan and Iraq – under false pretences. On his watch, a number of Irish citizens were also killed in acts of collusion between the British state and unionist paramilitaries – the most prominent of these being human rights solicitor Rosemary Nelson."

“If this man lands in the Twenty-Six Counties, the Dublin government should immediately order his arrest to facilitate his appearance at the International Criminal Court.”

Mac An Mhaistír continued: “Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the Dublin government would have the moral integrity or courage to carry out such an arrest. Consequently, if Tony Blair does land in Ireland to sign copies of a book that attempts to justify his blood-soaked career, éirígí will be mobilising in protest."

“Tony Blair should not be allowed to profit from the deaths of a million Iraqi civilians. éirígí will be making sure that message is heard loud and clear in Dublin.”