THE TAOISEACH denied a claim by Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins that he was involved in “sycophantic congratulation” following the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Enda Kenny said he had not joined “any sycophantic group, as Deputy Higgins crudely put it”, adding he had made the point that the world was now a better place without bin Laden.

During sharp exchanges with the Socialist Party TD, the Taoiseach said: “I wasn’t aware that Deputy Higgins was a supporter of Osama bin Laden’s.”

He later withdrew the charge, following requests from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Independents John Halligan and Finian McGrath to do so.

Mr Kenny said he did not believe Mr Higgins was a bin Laden supporter. “I know you are a good Christian man who has your job to do in here from a political point of view,” he added.

Earlier, Mr Higgins said the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and the presidents of the European Commission and council had categorically supported the assassination of bin Laden.

“Since when is it the policy of the Government and of the European Union to support a shoot-to-kill policy of somebody suspected of serious crimes?” he asked.

Mr Higgins queried if it was only justified when the the target was “a reactionary, anti-democratic, anti-human rights obscurantist like bin Laden, whose organisation slaughtered thousands of innocent people, not only in New York but, massively, in Pakistan and elsewhere”.

He claimed the “assassination was no more than a naked political stunt to project military and political power”.

Mr Kenny said bin Laden had been responsible for mass murder in New York, Madrid, Bali and London. “Many of his victims in the twin towers in New York were of Irish descent or directly Irish,” he added.

Mr Higgins said while thousands of people had been murdered by reactionary terrorists, he would suggest to Mr Kenny that the answer was not to do likewise and use their methods. In 2003, he added, the Taoiseach had stated that under international law and order the war in Iraq was wrong, unjust and unnecessary.

Mr Higgins said the two figureheads of that invasion were George Bush and Tony Blair. “If a group of aggrieved relatives of those tens of thousands of dead mounted an assault on Mr Blair’s luxury compound, wherever it might be, would the Taoiseach equally justify that, because the same logic would apply?” he said.

Mr Kenny said if Hans Blix had been allowed finish his analysis, weapons of mass destruction would not have been found in Iraq, which might have changed and altered the course of history.