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Fri 12 Dec 2007Lemass authorised aircraft searches during Cuban
crisis
Then taoiseach Seán Lemass authorised searches of Cuban and Czech aircraft passing through Shannon after the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 at the request of the United States. Details of searches were secretly passed on to the US authorities for the following eight years, writes Stephen Collins, Political Editor
Mr Lemass personally gave the go-ahead for the aircraft inspections and the data handover to embassy officials following a direct approach from US ambassador Mathew McCloskey, who called to see him in the taoiseach's office.
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