Jewish Refugees and Irish Neutrality
During the Second World War, Briscoe, at this time a member of Dáil Éireann, came under close scrutiny from the Irish security services. His support for Zionism and his lobbying on behalf of refugees was considered potentially damaging to the interests of the state by officials from the Department of Justice. Briscoe was an admirer and friend of Ze'ev Jabotinsky and his campaign to liberate the Jews. Between 1939 and 1940, Robert Briscoe along with John Henry Patterson, a former commander of the 4th battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Zion Mule Corps, were involved in fund raising for the Irgun in the USA. Jabotinsky while head of Irgun visited Dublin to receive training in guerrilla warfare tactics against the British under the instruction of Briscoe. During the period Briscoe described himself as the "Chair of Subversive Activity against England". He wished for Ireland to give asylum to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, but did so discreetly in order not to be accused of compromising the neutrality policy of the Fianna Fáil government.
Read more about this topic: Robert Briscoe (politician)
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