Parents accuse RUC

A 14-year old boy's parents have accused the RUC of waging a campaign of intimidation and harassment against their son.

The boy's parents, who did not want to be named, said they are ``disgusted'' at the way the RUC have treated their son since he came to their attention following a rioting incident during last year's Lundy Day Parade in Derry.

According to the parents, the RUC approached the boy when he was walking through the town and suggested in an aggressive tone that he was going to go to prison. Afterwards, the RUC called to their house in the Creggan when, as the father says, ``a phone call would have done''. He believes this was done to increase the pressure on him and his family.

Local Sinn Fein councillor, Peter Anderson, called on the RUC to end its campaign of harassment against the boy.

Meanwhile, a 30 year-old West Belfast resident, Paul McKinley has accused the RUC of harrassing him last Thursday morning.

Paul McKinley was lying in bed when the RUC smashed through his front door with a sledgehammer and forced him to the floor at gunpoint as they searched for bomb-making equipment at his house on O'Neill Street. McKinley, who has never been involved in any political activity, cannot understand why he has been made the target of a vindictive 90 minute house search. ``They said they were looking for timing devices and detonators but it was just harassment,'' he said.

North Belfast Sinn Fein Assembly member Gerry Kelly, who noticed the raid taking place while he was at a wake two doors down, asked to see the householder but was refused entry by the RUC. Kelly had to inform the RUC that a wake was taking place two doors down and was eventually able to get the RUC to move their vehicles, ``but not before many of those mourning for the deceased were seriously inconvenienced,'' he said.