The Defence Forces confirmed this evening it has launched an investigation after a soldier posted a video on the Internet showing Irish peacekeepers in Liberia pointing machine guns at a crowd.
"The soldier who uploaded the video has been questioned today by military police," said Commandant Gavin Young, spokesman for the Irish Defence Forces.
"A number of others in the video who have been positively identified will also be questioned in the course of the investigation."
Ireland has had troops stationed in Liberia for over three years as part of a UN monitoring force following a 1989-2003 civil war in the west African nation.
Details of the video, which has now been removed from the Internet, appeared in The Irish Timesas other newspapers reported yesterday's return of the last Irish troops serving in the country.
"It's extremely unfortunate that it happened in the first place, let alone that it should happen at this time," said Young, adding that army commanders took an "extremely dim view" of what had appeared in the video. Any soldiers found to have breached the military's code of conduct would face disciplinary charges, he said.
The footage, which Young said appeared to be 12 to 18 months old, shows Irish soldiers "mock" aiming at people in a nearby field who are seen taking cover, The Irish Timesreported.
The soldiers then walk away laughing. The newspaper's description of the video was accurate, Commandant Young said.