MI5 target student in England.
By Mick Naughton.
A BELFAST postgraduate student in England has been
targeted in a crude attempt by British Military
Intelligence to recruit agents.
dersonstown man Michael Maguire, currently studying
in Sheffield, was first approached by two men last year
in London. They claimed to be from MI5.
The pair suggested ``a business proposition.'' It was
clear what was going on and he immediately contacted a
Belfast law firm who contacted a British Irish human
rights group.
But recently there have been more approaches in
Sheffield from men believed to be members of the RUC
Special Branch.
Maguire explained how things have developed.
``Last year I had the approach from MI5. I told them I
wasn't interested in talking to them and I haven't seen
them since. But a few weeks ago two men with northern
Irish accents called to my house. They said they were
from the RUC and pushed their way in.
``Fortunately there was another fella in the house and
after I told them to say what they wanted, they backed
off.
``They told me to meet them in a pub the next day. I did
not go, but instead contacted my lawyer and reported
the incident to the university.''
However, within day's another two men, also Irish,
walked up and reminded him of the earlier RUC contact.
Following this Maguire logged the incidents with police
in Sheffield, which prompted a change of tactics. He
got phone calls from men with northern Irish accents
telling him he had `a lot to lose,' including his
university place.
The Irish government is now pressing for information on
the incidents through the inter governmental
Secretariat at Maryfield outside Belfast. Maguire is
perplexed about why he has been targeted.
``It might be because I am isolated here, with very few
close friends who I might go for a pint with. But I
want to expose these people and get them off my back
and hopefully by going public their activities will
cease.''
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