A FORMER EU delegation leader was employed as an advisor to the then Foreign Affairs minister Micheál Martin – despite being expelled from Afghanistan over accusations he held direct talks with the Taliban.

Afghani president Hamid Karzai claimed that Michael Semple had held unauthorised meetings with the country’s former ruling militia – and ejected him from the country in December 2007.

The claim is contained in a US embassy cable obtained by WikiLeaks and published today by the Irish Independent.

But Semple, who had been living in the Middle East for almost two decades and who was the acting head of the EU’s mission to Afghanistan at the time, was retained as a ministerial advisor to the now Fianna Fáil leader because he was considered well-versed in the politics of the region.

The UN had objected to Semple’s ejection from Afghanistan, saying it was a “misunderstanding”. Semple is now a fellow at the Carr Centre for Human Rights at Harvard University.

Read more on WikiLeaks in today’s Irish Independent >

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How the US saw the Fianna Fáil leadership >

Our previous coverage of Irish cables:

• USA had concerns over Dublin-based Muslim think tank
• CIA linked to Irishman’s death in Bolivia
• Shell hope for “20 or more Corribs” in Irish waters
• Ahern suspected US carried prisoners through Shannon
• Cowen accused Adams of “double game” on IRA
• US embassy thought Ireland was losing grip on banks
• Sinn Féin leaders knew of Northern Bank heist plan
• Vatican “offended” at being asked to assist Murphy Inquiry
• Government targeted US-Shannon flights to dampen election criticism